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?

I didn’t say formula feeding was a failure? And I didn’t judge. I also didn’t say formula shouldn’t be available?

Seriously, again with the melodramatics! 🙄

It sounds like the only person judging you is you. I don’t give a shit how you fed your baby, but don’t pretend it’s ME that’s judging you.

That is what I think too. I am all for peor making their own choice, but there shouldn't be a reward for formula feeding.

I said I do t like ‘fed is best’ because no one gets a cookie for not starving their child.

Unless you are especially dim, please explain logically how that equates to ‘I want babies to die’

*don’t like ‘fed is best’

You are not being penalised everyone is getting the same offer? So you could get the follow on milk exactly the same as a bf mother can. Breastfeeding is better for babies and the environment so there is laws around promotion of formula to promote and encourage breastfeeding over formula feeding. Women have the choice but there isn't encouragement in the media /retail to formula feed.

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!

Underhand tactics such as pushing lots of free samples in hospitals and giving discounted milk to knackered mums struggling to breastfeed, so that the baby becomes used to a bottle and the mum's supply dwindles. Or giving lots of vouchers, so formula doesnt seem an expensive choice at first, but when the vouchers run out, then they are tied into expensive formula. This on top of claiming formula is better than breastmilk. Women may claim they can see through advertising, but despite this a lot seem to fall for follow on milk and the claims of a certain manufacturer that their milk is the closest to breastmilk.

My mother didn't breastfeed me, she never considered it as breastmilk was backwards, unhygienic, not the best for her baby and just not what young modern mums did and this meant she had no breastfeeding knowledge to pass onto me, when I became a mother. This is what formula companies were responsible for.

YABU
Breast is best and so they’re trying to encourage it.

It’s like having money off reusable nappies.
Its not penalising people who use disposable nappies it’s just trying to encourage them to use the reusable ones.

If they said here’s a money off voucher for nappies but you can only use it if you’re BF then that would be very unfair and be penalising those who chose to FF.

Indeed. What’s your point?

Sorry I’ve not RTFT so not sure if it’s been explained but why do people have an issue with follow on milk?

You don’t like fed is best, that means you dislike the idea of babies being fed, and that babies being fed is a bad thing. Fairly basic.

If they were allowed to formula companies would give it away for free for the first few weeks, just long enough to ensure mum's milk has dried up. They need to be tightly regulated and kept in check. Nestle have shown how immoral they can be.

You know, I've always breastfed and I had heard of this rule about offers but had no idea that was why and honestly, I totally get your frustration. Not all, but a lot of mothers give up breastfeeding way before they'd like to (I know I very nearly did a few times) and the whole messaging around that suggests it's somehow a choice, which must sting. I know I'd be hurt if it were me because I really didn't want to give up and was very lucky to find support. To be honest, even if it is a choice, surely the only one who misses out here is the baby?

You're completely right, in my opinion.

It was invented to circumvent laws on advertising baby formula. Asfaik it is similar to baby formula.

And this is exactly what the companies do in the developing world. Send their reps, dressed as "nurses" into maternity wards to give mothers free samples of formula. Backed with lots of advertising about how formula is technologically advanced and modern and the best for their baby. About a month's worth of formula should do it. Then by the time the freebies run out, the mother's supply has dried up and the family are forced to buy more formula that they can't afford, or make poor decisions about trying to eke it out by adding one scoop less.

It's wrong and it's immoral and companies like Nestle give not one fuck about the health of babies and mothers.

But it creates an inequality,and one that doesn't benefit babies. There is no reward for breastfeeding other than a feed child, there should not be a reward for formula feeding.

I live in the US, and pre covid we did earn "points" on formula, in target which is similar to a tesco we would get $5 or $10 off our next order if we bought $50 worth or something of the like. Then there was a formula shortage due to US production issues, the prices were hiked, and for my second child there was no discount available. But i'd say the US government does not try to push breastfeeding by not allowing promotions/discounting of prices, that is very much up to manufacturers/distributors. It is interesting to see that in the UK and honestly I don't like that the UK government does that. A lot of us use Formula as we work, and pumping at work isn't quick or easy, and it is frankly our choice, and our bodies.

Formula companies did aggressively market, the rules are there for good reason.

I had my dd in the USA and came home from the hospital to a full case (12 tins) of one brand and 6 of another despite having no intention of bottle feeding and ticking that box on all forms etc. when I signed up for samples, even got sent a set of 3 bottles ... trying to persuade a tired new mum to just give bottles. They can't be trusted. I gave them to the food bank (allowed there).

Low income families in the U.K. can get help

I didn’t say they were comparing it to alcohol and cigarettes. I’m saying it’s ridiculous that a completely valid and safe and monitored and approved food for babies is excluded from any kind of promotion. Meanwhile I can buy my now 1 year old as much chocolate and processed food as I like and receive a discount for doing so. Obviously noone gives a crap about the health of my baby once they’re past formula age. Just need to make sure we are policing women with newborns it seems.

And my god I’m so tired of hearing blah blah back 50 years ago in Africa nestle did this so in modern western society we need to prevent advertising of formula. I wanted to breastfeed. I wasn’t remotely influenced by advertising of follow on milks in making my decision. However I didn’t manage to exclusively breastfeed so I bought formula. How is excluding it from a promotion having an influence on women’s decisions.

Well nobody really cares and it's not your business on how a mother is feeding her child. Its totally unacceptable you wouldn't usually poke your nose in an older child's diet would you? All hell would break loose if was a 4 year old child. Mind your own breasts and children.

There is a worldwide ban on the promotion of formula milk after Nestle showed their true colours, which covers points etc. There are lots of violations though, which your example sounds like.

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

Not being given boots points is not penalising you.

I had complete failure of lactation nearly 18 years ago and threads like this still upset me. My lovely DD is thriving and about to start university so I don’t think it has affected her, but these threads still make me feel like I failed.
For the first few months I was able to buy formula at the health centre for more or less cost price. The government then decided to stop that, so the price went up by about £3/4 a tin as I had to pay supermarket prices and that makes a huge difference when you are in a budget. I don’t think you should be rewarded for buying formula, but I don’t think you should be financially penalised either.

Yanbu. My 4th child couldn't breastfeed so we used pumped milk for the first 5 months and then formula. I do think that if there is a 3 for 2 or similar offer it should be for all brands at the same time though as changing milk whenever there is an offer on isn't great for the baby.

And why do FF mothers act like some persecuted minority on here?

You're not, you're the majority.

So what is the problem?