To think there is too much pressure to formula feed?

[daffodilsandprimroses]

I’ve been considering making this post for a while but was worried about being flamed - I probably will be.

I am definitely not speaking to or about the women who made a choice to formula feed, either from the start or after trying breastfeeding and deciding it wasn’t for them.

I am talking about the women like me who really wanted to breastfeed and tried.

I found the midwives were very quick to leap to pushing formula once breastfeeding wasn’t working. When ds lost weight after birth rather than helping support me to feed him we were put on a feeding plan involving formula.

Why is there no support for breastfeeding?

[quote FTEngineerM]**@Vursayles* because I had the audacity to feed them formula to keep them alive.*

Is anyone here or anywhere else suggesting that you didn’t do the best for your baby? I don’t think they are. You kept them alive, that’s priority number 1 as parent. My comment on page 2 or something said there needs to be more research into why some breasts don’t work the same as others even though biologically similar.

@JenerationH Google Scholar has an abundance of information available if anyone is interested, it’s hard to digest as it’s of a technical nature but if you have time and actually care then it’s a good place to start. People write articles for all sorts of reasons but I particularly stay away from someone with absolutely no medical/biology background giving an opinion on my breasts and their milk (I haven’t read the link).

Even with peer reviewed articles/journal posts/research, with a little digging you can find out who funded it: like in the USA the dairy industry directly funding research into the human bodies calcium requirements amongst other things.

Everyone is trying to sell you something, and it’s not difficult to get official research to help you sell the product when you have enough cash. Almost everything is available online if you know where to look.

Nobody is making money out of women like the posters here who breastfeed, there is absolutely no point in them researching why some breasts don’t work, nobody will profit. Take a look at cow & gates profits certainly more than women spend on a few extra snacks whilst breastfeeding.

They’re banned from advertising so they make a pointless product that still allows them to advertise and stay on tv/YouTube/radio/phone ads.[/quote]
I am always confused about this. Of course companies make money from breastfeeding??! What about the companies that sell nursing bras, breastfeeding tops, cover ups etc and indeed the private breastfeeding consultants themselves? They are all making money!
Not saying formula companies are saints but the idea that no one has an agenda making money out of breastfeeding is just wrong!

@daffodilsandprimroses

There’s definitely a formula culture but at the risk of getting flamed I don’t know what to do about it because people do get really upset.

Look at the following scenarios

i am breastfeeding my DS and I’m shattered! He wakes up every hour for a feed and it’s breaking me - help!

I can guarantee when someone posts that there will be cheery friendly posts saying you can formula feed, it doesn’t matter, my DS was formula fed from birth and is strong as an ox / never had a day off school, etc.

Then someone says

i am pregnant, what’s the cheapest type of formula milk as money is very tight? Also, we live a fair distance from any shops so I need something I can bulk buy.

You say ‘have you considered breastfeeding? It’s free! And it’s always there!^ And you get flamed for ‘pushing’ breastfeeding, for being a ‘breastfeeding nazi’, shouted at because ‘if OP wanted to breastfeed I’m sure she would have said so.’

This is what I mean about formula feeding being pushed. It can be very insidious and it can come from a good place but I do think it’s a contributory factor in why breastfeeding rates are so low.

See I would agree with both of these and say this is an example of how women can’t win, rather than how formula is pushed. Both methods are pushed by different lobbyists. Both are equally exhausting! I agree with you that choice is the most important thing

'I am always confused about this. Of course companies make money from breastfeeding??! What about the companies that sell nursing bras, breastfeeding tops, cover ups etc and indeed the private breastfeeding consultants themselves? They are all making money!'

But none of these things are required for breastfeeding. You can breastfeed without using any of these things. 100% of ff parents will buy formula for at least a year. And people tend to stick to brands, so if you are given Aptamil (for free) in the hospital you are more likely to stick to that brand. For a year. At £13 a tin.

@FudgeSundae M&S and the likes aren’t making £50 billion/ year by selling a few non underwired clip down bras now are they.. do you see clothing manufacturers even funding advertising for maternity wear? Let some pumping money into government/research that will help their cause, no.

www.savethechildren.org.uk/news/media-centre/press-releases/leading-milk-formula-companies-spend-p36-on-marketing-for-every-

Let alone*

Oh jeneration come on. Most women aren’t back at work within three months. I know a minority are but hardly most!

@JenerationH I mean I totally agree that women’s time isn’t worthless, but I think that saying that BF is free is for the assumption that most women take maternity leave.

@ParadiseLaundry

'I am always confused about this. Of course companies make money from breastfeeding??! What about the companies that sell nursing bras, breastfeeding tops, cover ups etc and indeed the private breastfeeding consultants themselves? They are all making money!'

But none of these things are required for breastfeeding. You can breastfeed without using any of these things. 100% of ff parents will buy formula for at least a year. And people tend to stick to brands, so if you are given Aptamil (for free) in the hospital you are more likely to stick to that brand. For a year. At £13 a tin.

Yes but that’s a different point. PP was saying that companies have an agenda to push formula feeding to make money, but no one has an agenda to push breastfeeding as it makes no money. This isn’t true - the people I mentioned have an agenda because higher rates of breastfeeding make them money, even if it’s not a mandatory spend.

In fact, as formula companies aren’t allowed to advertise (don’t think they’re allowed to give out samples anymore either? But happy to be corrected), you are arguably MORE likely to be advertised to by people with a breastfeeding agenda. This was definitely the case for me - I was given discount vouchers for nursing clothing and breastfeeding consultant details but nothing for formula.

I agree theoretically you could stay home naked all day and not need any breastfeeding clothing. But most women will end up buying at least a few nursing bras. It would be interesting to compare average spend over the first year - I suspect breastfeeding actually ends up being quite expensive for many, especially for those who pump.

Formula companies offer lots of freebies and goodies. Cuddly toys, Muslims, those sorts of things.

@SnuggyBuggy

It's far from the only factor contributing to low BF rates in the UK but why should the general public believe in the benefits of EBF when the HCPs who look after neonates and postpartum women don't act like they believe in them?

Why is there so little donor milk available? Why aren't people who don't produce any milk offered any medical investigations?

You make very valid points as there is medication which can help milk production its rarely prescribed in the UK though.

Most formal milk bank donations goes to premature babies as research has shown it reduces the risk of a very serious gut disorder which can be fatal. The screening and pasturising process is expensive.

I had delayed milk due to stress and ended up on a feeding programme which included pumping so I ended up with a over supply of milk. In the end I donated 25 litres over the course of many months to the milk bank and although I was refused donor milk for my son in neonatal because he was full term I was glad to help other mothers out. I used to also help friends out as they knew I was a donor.

[quote FTEngineerM]@FudgeSundae M&S and the likes aren’t making £50 billion/ year by selling a few non underwired clip down bras now are they.. do you see clothing manufacturers even funding advertising for maternity wear? Let some pumping money into government/research that will help their cause, no.

www.savethechildren.org.uk/news/media-centre/press-releases/leading-milk-formula-companies-spend-p36-on-marketing-for-every-[/quote]
Yes I absolutely do? The B shirt for example was advertised EVERYWHERE when I had my first. And it’s not cheap!

@FudgeSundae. Formula companies get round the 'ban' on advertising Infant formula, by creating a useless product called follow on milk. They advertise this instead. People see the brand name so it continues...

Are you actually joking OP? I felt under unbearable pressure to breastfeed when my baby was born - it was so stressful and upsetting after a very traumatic birth. I’ve also felt judged by other mums for formula feeding. I’m sick of being made to feel guilty and treated like a shit mum and a failure for feeding my baby formula. Perhaps I should start judging BFing mums who then go on to wean their kids on processed crap.

Of course it isn’t false

You have a strange agenda here.

No pea I’m not joking.

We had different experiences. Quite remarkable really.

@peasoup8

Are you actually joking OP? I felt under unbearable pressure to breastfeed when my baby was born - it was so stressful and upsetting after a very traumatic birth. I’ve also felt judged by other mums for formula feeding. I’m sick of being made to feel guilty and treated like a shit mum and a failure for feeding my baby formula. Perhaps I should start judging BFing mums who then go on to wean their kids on processed crap.

You find me one post of mine that judges anyone.

I’m getting a bit sick of the aggression now.

£6.4billion global market for ALL maternity wear (adjusted for exchange rate and 4.6% increase to 2027 figure).

So that’s not even breastfeeding clothing alone which of course will be a tiny portion of that. You can’t honestly suggest the market size has the same ‘welly’?

As a PP said you don’t have to buy those things, on any BF group I joined they almost always advocated for vest under normal clothes. I loved that set up too.

If you FF you have to buy formula.

www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210113005457/en/Global-Maternity-Innerwear-Market-2020-to-2027---Size-Share-Trends-Analysis-Report---ResearchAndMarkets.com

With my first I had no idea what I was doing but had lovely midwives and nurses who were very happy to sit with me and show me positions and encourage me which meant I left hospital feeling very empowered.

However MIL suggested on multiple occasions that I give formula whenever I complained dc was a poor sleeper. She made a comment to another family member about the size of dc and she couldn't believe it was all breast milk! She also said bf was fine as long as women were discreet. I was firm with her every time but there was definitely pressure there.

I believe more women would be successful and confident at bf if the services were visible and available. Unfortunately maternity services seem to have had focus diverted to concepts such as rebranding bf as chestfeeding instead of paying for a breastfeeding champion on the ward.

I agree OP. I had my third baby last year and breastfed my previous two so I knew I was going to breastfeed again with a good grasp of how it all goes.

I was in hospital for a few days, baby was a good weight but my milk hadn't come in. Knowing this can take a few days and I had colostrum I wasn't worried but they kept offering me formula.
Saying I can use some formula until my milk comes in. It doesn't work like that.

To include some anecdata 😉I’ve spent more on formula in the last 2 months than any bfing kit combined over 7 m

[quote FTEngineerM]£6.4billion global market for ALL maternity wear (adjusted for exchange rate and 4.6% increase to 2027 figure).

So that’s not even breastfeeding clothing alone which of course will be a tiny portion of that. You can’t honestly suggest the market size has the same ‘welly’?

As a PP said you don’t have to buy those things, on any BF group I joined they almost always advocated for vest under normal clothes. I loved that set up too.

If you FF you have to buy formula.

www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210113005457/en/Global-Maternity-Innerwear-Market-2020-to-2027---Size-Share-Trends-Analysis-Report---ResearchAndMarkets.com[/quote]
I didn’t say the market size was equal or had the same welly. I said sone people do make money from people choosing to breastfeed. Those people do have an agenda. I experienced this.

You find me one post of mine that judges anyone.

Where did I say you specifically judged anyone? If you can’t handle people disagreeing with you then maybe don’t post about such a contentious topic in AIBU