Parents penalised for formula feeding

[thechristmaspudding]

I just wanted to open up a discussion to find out the perspectives of other parents on this subject. I would also be interested to hear the opinions of midwives, health visitors and other health care professionals involved with families.
To give a bit of background information, I am a member of the Boots parenting club, which has many parents are likely to be aware gives you access to discounts and offers on baby related items in store. I went into my local boots today to buy my son's formula, hoping to get a good deal as I had been notified of an offer in store. Now, in my sleep deprived state I did not read the offer properly and it did clearly state that it was an offer for follow on formula and not infant first. The cashier was very polite and explained that due to government regulations shops are not legally allowed to offer discounts on infant first formula due to the government expectation that breastfeeding should be encouraged for the first six months. To be clear, I am not taking issue with Boots or any other shop, but it got me questioning whether this is fair? No, I do not believe that formula companies should be able to dissuade women from breastfeeding through aggressive marketing campaigns that encourage parents to buy their product. But surely parents have the right to weigh up the pros and cons of bottle feeding and make an informed choice that reflects the needs and circumstances of their own family? I tried really, really hard to breastfeed but found it extremely difficult and due to a lack of postnatal support gave up (the inadequate breastfeeding support in this country is another issue in itself). This is something I still regret and struggle with. However, my personal experience aside, formula feeding is a valid choice to make whether parents decide to feed this way from birth or at a later stage.
I also remember watching an episode of dispatches a few years ago on how due to the cost of formula many families resort to watering down their baby's feed or even to stealing. This is a situation that is likely to have worsened as a result of the cost of living crisis.
So my question is, AIBU in thinking that it is wrong to penalise bottle-feeding parents when it comes to the cost of formula?

Breastfeeding bras are not the same as normal bras. They have clips at the front to move the cup down. And I certainly don’t buy bras every year, probably not even every 5 years. So I wouldn’t have bought new bras if I’d formula fed.
I went back to work when my kids were 8 months old, so not yet on cows milk. I had to express breast milk at work, using a breast pump. The milk was stored in bottles which my babies were given while I was at work. The pump, bottles and teats needed sterilising.
Sorry if you feel I’m “stretching” now, but I think you’ll find that what I’ve said is true.

Yes, allowing babies to starve to death is very sad, whats sadder is that some people are gleeful about it.

The truth? As you see it? 😂

No one cares how babies are fed , just that they are fed! Not everyone can Breast feed.

So we're not going down the nestle 80's / 90's campaign in 3rd world countries where they promoted formula as "best" for babies instead of breast milk . It was bullshit! And capitalism at its worst.

Is this what you are referring to op?

Yabu

fed is best at an individual level but isn’t at global level, breastfed is. That is fact.

Jesus, did that poster suggest babies should die if a mother can’t breastfeed?

So what? It’s not because there’s some special government discount on breast milk breastfeeders would otherwise pay for. Breastfeeding is free - women know this, and if you choose to take the free option you aren’t being penalised because you didn’t take the expensive option.

Yes, not getting Boots points doesn’t take away our right to choose 🙄

I agree with this.

Very few women are unable to physically breastfeed so it really is a choice for the vast majority. Let’s not pretend it’s not .

Surely that's still penalising formula feeding parents though, letting companies charge more so they can give a little back as points etc? Why not be annoyed at the milk companies, they should set the price as low as they possibly can to make such an essential product affordable (follow on milk I'm fine with being commercialised as there are alternatives by that age so it's not an essential). Then it wouldn't matter if they were allowed to do deals/points because they wouldn't do them anyway as the price would already be the lowest they'd offer.

I say that as a formula feeding mum who couldn't (not wouldn't) breast feed so I've got no agenda to push.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond. Just to add, it was not just that I found breastfeeding a bit hard and though "oh I can't be bothered." My baby was hospitalised with severe dehydration and weight loss due to the difficulties I had. I was instructed by a doctor in the hospital to begin supplementing with formula. I still breastfeed as much as I can but without formula I dread to think what would have happened.
Anyway...perhaps the wording I used in this post could have been better. Perhaps penalising was not the right term to use. The point I was trying to get across was that for families who are struggling with the cost of buying formula (and whether or not you agree with them feeding that way or not, a high number of babies are being fed that way and your disapproval is not going to change that), allowing shops to offer discounts would surely help those families who are struggling?

Formula should be available for free or low cost for parents who find themselves unable to provide breastmilk and unable to pay. Babies need to be fed and there absolutely need to be programs in place to make sure that they receive adequate nutrition.

a tiny discount a the till isn’t going to make any difference if a family is really struggling to feed an infant.

For those struggling they can get formula from food banks I believe

Apparently not. A pp attempted to donate it and it was refused.

I’m also sure that milk vouchers are still a thing and newborn formula can be bought with them.

I think before the NHS even consider subsidising formula they should first pour everything they can into breastfeeding support and helpful, honest promotion.

Food banks are banned from giving service users stage one milk, you can only get it from a HV (after waiting for your appointment) who will then refer you to SS, which discourages parents from asking for help in buying formula ans encourages unsafe practices like diluting formula.

I tried to donate formula to my local food bank and they would not accept it. Not sure if that is the case with all food banks?

Easy to see why the UK has the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. Marketing works, that's why billions is spent on it.

It's right that first formula milk isn't promoted. It's not right that formula has become so expensive and that support for those who wish to breastfeed is often hard to find.

On googling, some do, but some are careful not to because formula is not always safe for babies (I imagine the same reason some food banks won’t give out nuts based foods). There’s is a thing called baby banks that help with products including infant formula

Formula is freeze-dried, powdered cows’ milk with vegetable oil and added vitamins. That’s it, basically. There’s no magic ingredient that costs a fortune and means it needs to cost £10+ per tin. The majority of the price pays for the glossy packaging, the adverts (of toddler milk and stage 2, both purely invented to get round the advertising rules), the “helplines” staffed by “feeding experts”, the FB pages….and of course, hefty profit for the companies as well. The cost could be massively reduced by banning advertising and selling it in plain packaging for starters. Nobody would do it, because it’s marketed as a food rather than a lifesaving medical product. Formula companies have disgraceful marketing tactics and the rules around not allowing it to be part of 3 for 2 offers or to receive Clubcard points are actually to benefit parents and babies, not to penalise them.

I actually agree OP.

Some babies just can't breastfeed. One of mine had a tongue tie that wasn't spotted at birth, lost a lot of weight and then we were unable to get an appointment to have it snipped, so he was formula fed. I breastfed his siblings and am very pro-breastfeeding generally.

Formula is very expensive, as is all the equipment that goes with it. Many people are struggling to feed their families right now and some are resorting to stealing milk in their desperation. Breastfeeding, on the other hand, can be completely free (I couldn't pump and didn't buy any special clothing other than reusable breast pads, but you could very easily make some). At the very least it is substantially cheaper to breastfeed.

If the issue is the formula companies then just keep the rules on advertising and make them scrap follow on milk. If they were only allowed to make first milk and not allowed to advertise it as better than or equal to breastmilk then I can't see how that would persuade anyone who wasn't already using it to convert. After all, it's still more expensive than breastfeeding!

Regardless of choice, a fed baby is best 😊

Those struggling can get milk vouchers which can be exchanged for formula.