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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at someone on the bf/bottle feeding forum saying that formula should only be available on prescription

270 replies

pigletmania · 12/12/2009 18:48

That person obviously has found bf a complete and utter doddle and might not have encountered any problems with it. These comments do nothing to promote bf imo only reaffirm the stereotype of bf matrons. If formula were to only be available on prescription it would penalise those who are struggling to bf and need that extra to top up, or those who have made the choice not to bf though respecting their decision is a bit to me.

OP posts:
HerBeatitude · 12/12/2009 20:44

It could only be done as part of a raft of measures to genuinely support women to breastfeed instead of just paying lipservice.

On its own of course it's a berserk suggestion. But if the culture was changed so that all women who wanted to bf were genuinely supported to do so, then it would be an excellent idea - formula costs a fortune.

paisleyleaf · 12/12/2009 20:45

I still think it's not a bad idea. Just can't see exactly how it could work.

Skegness · 12/12/2009 20:48

It would cost the NHS a fortune. I'd rather they spent their medication budget on cancer drugs rather than food for babies, personally.

SleighGirl · 12/12/2009 20:48

without formula I wouldn't have been able to work. yes I bf, yes I expressed but I couldn't express enough to keep my 4 month old infant going whilst I had to go back out to work!

MrsMattie · 12/12/2009 20:48

Now you're talking 'medical staffed baby hotels'. Sounds great! But it's not what the OP of the original thread said, is it? It's not in the same spirit at all, in fact.

Boosting breastfeeding rates comes down to:

a) being honest about the complex reasons women don't breastfeed
b) supporting new mothers, rather than preaching, chastising and making life more difficult for them

We all agree on that, I'm sure.

paisleyleaf · 12/12/2009 20:49

Aitch, I probably meant encouraging rather than endorsing. But you're right that that could be juxtaposed with real support for breastfeeding.

Rainbowinthesky · 12/12/2009 20:50

I wouldnt have thought it would be more expensive than the costs now for treating illnesses caused by not bf. In the right culture and with the right support as in other countries where this is the case bf rates would be very high and so the cost of formula to the nhs much lessened.

If you couldnt express enough you'd get formula free on prescription.

paisleyleaf · 12/12/2009 20:51

Ahh, I'm not talking with regards to any original thread, as I've not seen it.

InMyLittleHead · 12/12/2009 20:53

There are better things for the NHS to spend money on, such as keeping alive premature babies. It's a grotty fact, but babies die because resources are diverted elsewhere.

I do not have a child, but if I did I would not appreciate having to ask a doctor to OK which way I feed it. On birth threads, people are always saying how doctors don't know everything, you know your body and baby etc. So do they know everything once it's out?

Making sure everyone has a BF counsellor costs money, and there isn't a lot of that around.

MrsMattie · 12/12/2009 20:53

'If you couldn't express enough you'd get formula? '

Are you joking?

Who would be the 'express police', then?

FFS.

peppapighastakenovermylife · 12/12/2009 20:53

I don't understand. The point with the formula on prescription argument is that if you genuinely cannot breastfeed (for a wide range of physical and psychological reasons) then you would get it free.

It is to discourage mothers from choosing not to breastfeed for less significant reasons. No one is saying formula is evil but numerous studies have shown the risks of formula feeding (and that is risks not definites).

It is about promoting breastfeeding as the norm - and formula as something you use if you have to do so. In this country breastfeeding is not the norm which is sad. It would be positive as it would recognise the problems the mum faced and give her free formula - she shouldnt be punished by having to buy it should she if she genuinely needs it?

It would never work here however because people would get hold of formula in other ways or babies would end up on cows milk etc.

It is sad that people cannot breastfeed because they have to look after a toddler / go back to work / have cracked nipples / cannot latch baby on. This is not a value judgement against the mother but against society - that we are not pro breastfeeding and pro babies enough to be able to support and help them.

AitchTwoToTangOh · 12/12/2009 20:54

i dunno, i just checked what the op said on the other thread and she linked to an ancient article from the ecologist (which was roundly discussed on here at the time, oh yes it was) asking if it was true and saying 'i just don't get why formula is allowed to be sold'.

in the context of the article it seems to me the question was more likely to mean 'i just don't get why private manufacturers are allowed to get their hands on something so important'. and i don't either.

Rainbowinthesky · 12/12/2009 20:54

Why would there be "express police"? Confused. Do they have these in Scandanavia??

wonderingwondering · 12/12/2009 20:55

That;s right, line us up in milking sheds, never mind the emotional needs (or parental choices) of a new mother, she must provide milk...

StealthPolarBear · 12/12/2009 20:55

" I can envisage a lot of very distressed mothers being told that of course they are able to b/f, don't be silly dear, chop-chop and just get on with it, and many more furious ones being told that they must b/f, when they choose not to do so. "

Would be a turn around from "just stick him on the bottle", "don't be silly dear, just give her formula", "your milk's obviously not good enough", "low blood sugar, formula required"

The only thing against this as far as I am concerned is women in GP offices "justifying" their choice - not on. But it wouldn't be like that. Your baby's first feed is soon after birth, if you choose to ff, surely that will be exactly as it is now. At which point a prescription will be issued to you. After the first week (month?) and the prescription's expired no GP is going to suggest relactation! Benefits (in my naivety) standard formula which should be the "best", no promotion, for women who want to bf, formula treated as what it is - a necessary intervention, but bf should be fixed first if it can be at all.

CarmenSanDiego · 12/12/2009 20:57

Actually, by having prescription-only formula, there would be far more reason for the government to invest in breastfeeding support. I had a hard time breastfeeding my first baby but got through it with determination and a breast pump from the NCT. There should have been much much better support in the hospital though.

There's a huge amount of women who want to breastfeed but give up and have negative feelings about having to give up. Wouldn't it be better if they got the support they needed to carry on?

Never saw the original thread, but this one is awful with name calling and comments about laughing at everything the poster now says.

AitchTwoToTangOh · 12/12/2009 20:58

another enormously interesting ethical point, inmylittlehead. shoudl the govt be spending money on bettering the health short and long-term of its existing population (and saving itself money in the long run) or paying to keep alive babies who are born too early and cost a fortune? despite being the mother of a prem baby (although who breathed for herself at 7 weeks early), i can't honestly say it's the best practical application of resources.

InMyLittleHead · 12/12/2009 20:58

Beats me why anyone wants to hand yet another women's choice over to incompetent health authorities. Must be masochistic or mad...

MrsMattie · 12/12/2009 20:59

Is the aim to encourage more women to breastfeed or to force them into it?@Rainbow

There are very few women who genuinely, medically cannot breastfeed. There are very many women who struggle with breastfeeding and give up - for reasons varied and complex but hinging on a lack of good support. They need that missing support, not some jumped up doctor making a pronouncement on whether they have tried hard enough to express and are 'allowed' some free formula.

PrincessToadstool · 12/12/2009 20:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rainbowinthesky · 12/12/2009 21:01

I don't think anyone has suggested on either of these threads that it would be a good thing to happen without all the support/change of culture etc in place.

I dont have an opinion either way. I can see both sides but don't like the immediate jumping on ruby for daring to have a different opinion.

HerBeatitude · 12/12/2009 21:01

It's a good point that if the govt knew it had to pay for formula, it would invest more in BF support

AitchTwoToTangOh · 12/12/2009 21:03

ah-HAH! and there you have it, inmylittlehead!

at the MOMENT the vast majority of us hand over our choice to bf to health authorities and then due to a lack of support we don't make it.

dangerous word, choice. i think it's near enough 80% of us initiate bfing in hospital, we're getting our choice taken away from us by the current system, if anything.

Rainbowinthesky · 12/12/2009 21:04

Very true. There isnt really any choice at the moment for most mothers.

InMyLittleHead · 12/12/2009 21:04

"It's a good point that if the govt knew it had to pay for formula, it would invest more in BF support"

Well they would do what is cheapest, be that formula on prescription with bf support (v. expensive), take no action (cheapest) or put formula on prescription to satisfy the breast is best lobby, while making empty promises of bf support which never materialise. It depends how expensive bf support would be...