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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Why is MN carrying breastpump ads now?

211 replies

Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 15:49

Anyone else think this is a bit odd? Especially as it's promoting the brand name of a well known nipple cream too...

OP posts:
ClearAndChristmasPresent · 12/12/2010 16:32

Hi Brolly... just read your other post. No, i see what you are saying, sort of. I probably overreacted, not the first time. :(
(I've had so much shit thrown at me for 'not trying hard enough' so I am reading your post through that prism.)

My Dh says... 'what is the aim?' Happy, healthy baby. Have we got there? Yes. Thankfully.

Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 16:32

Stealth has it exactly. In some cases breastpumps interfere with breastfeeding. They should not be promoted to all breastfeeding mothers. It is in the advertisers interests to make them sound as essential as possible in order to maximise sales.

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MoonUnitAlpha · 12/12/2010 16:33

Wait - how does advertising a breastpump make it more likely that women won't breastfeed Confused

If their ad makes women stop breastfeeding then that's a pretty shit business model. They need breastfeeders to buy the pumps.

Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 16:34

Santa -yes I clicked on the link. Do you know what a vested interest is? I am unlikely to set much store by research funded or carried out by a commercial company in relation to a product they wish to sell.

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Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 16:35

Moon: if a mother simply breastfeeds her baby and never uses a pump it's not in their interests. What is in there interests is if all breastfeeding mothers see a pump as an essential bit of kit for breastfeeding, and preferably if they buy one of that brand.

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Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 16:35

their Blush

OP posts:
Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 16:36

Clearand ChristmasPresent Smile

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IWouldNotCouldNotWithAGoat · 12/12/2010 16:37

Right, what am I meant to be outraged about now?

SantasNutellaFairy · 12/12/2010 16:40

Brollyflower- by which argument you could say that prams are essential for some people, not everyone, so why should they be advertised?

I'll admit, the pram analogy is weaker but it's still the same principle.
The advertising gives people choice and that is what consumers want.
Especially as manufactureres do have to need to prove their claims now.

Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 16:43

Can using a pram regularly interfere with breastfeeding (or some other aspect of a baby's life that has the potential to have an impact on the baby's health)?

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bibbitybobbitysantahat · 12/12/2010 16:48

But using a breastpump can and does regularly extend breastfeeding!

Tolalola · 12/12/2010 16:50

Well, yes, Brollyflower, attachment parents would argue that using a pram regularly detracts from the develpoment of a strong parent-child bond.

StealthPolarBear · 12/12/2010 16:51

But that link is not proven in the same way as the brestfeeding one
Improving breastfeeding rates appears as high priority for most public agencies (round here anyway)

SantasNutellaFairy · 12/12/2010 16:56

There are a lot of arguments that can be used.

It's generally accepted as a given that sticking a small baby in a car seat/ one position in a pram for long periods of time is certainly not going to aid their development. So why do people choose to do so? Because it is a convenience that will have been advertised. There is huge competition by pushchair manufacturers to advertise theirs is the best because of A, B or C. One of the main advertising ploys is to make their product compatible with a particular product which scores highly in Which magazine. So a customer can choose which to buy.

Just as, occasionally or regularly, a mother may need to feed her baby EBM which she needs to express somehow. In which case, what is the matter with bringing the item to the attention of a potential customer?

Waedigirl · 12/12/2010 16:57

Well I guess it's a problem if we assume everyone on this forum can't think for themselves, or is swayed by everything they see so need to be "protected" from adverts for pumps, or nipple cream, or (god forbid) formula.... Shouldn't we give people credit to be able to recognise that lots of things are advertised in this world that may not be perfect for your particular situation, but also may just be useful and help you.

The more information the better, to my, mind. And better to be advertising pumps than formula here if you are pro breastfeeding right?

PS Without a hospital grade double pump dd would have been breastfed for 1 week rather than 11 months, no question.

StealthPolarBear · 12/12/2010 17:03

but advertising does work, it's very naive to assume somehow your intelligence raises you above it

WidowWadman · 12/12/2010 17:03

Crivens, what a lot of codswallop.

I remember feeling really really guilty about sending my husband off to get me a breastpump when my milk came in, I was in pain, and so engorged that my daughter couldn't cope with the shape of my boobs anymore, so struggled to latch.

Without that pump I probably wouldn't have fed for a week, but with it helping over the initial problem made it to 18 months.

I wonder how much the whole nipple confusion /"breastpumps are bad" thing is actually a myth rather than a reality

StealthPolarBear · 12/12/2010 17:06

but WW the samw could be said for formula in other situations

StealthPolarBear · 12/12/2010 17:09

and well done if you are above advertising, but shouldn't us lesser mortals (the vast majority to whom advertising is aimed) be considered

Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 17:11

When did I say breastpumps are bad WW? I said that in some situations they have the potential to interfere with milk supply and the breastfeeding relationship. I have also said repeatedly that in some situations they are vital.

Information and advertising are not the same thing.

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Original poster
Brollyflower · 12/12/2010 17:14

Also, anyone who supports breastfeeding mothers regularly knows that nipple confusion (or perhaps more accurately flow preference, or technique confusion) most definitely does happen in some cases. Not all, but some. The trouble is, you don't know which until it's too late.

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tinierclanger · 12/12/2010 17:17

Frankly, I think you sound ridiculous.
I bf DS for 14 months. I might well have given up in the first 6 months if I hadn't been able to pump and express enough to get the odd opportunity to leave him for more than a couple of hours. I couldn't express anything useful by hand.
Mumsnet pays for itself with advertising. Advertising pumps is no less ethical than any of the other adverts it carries.

Marchpane · 12/12/2010 17:18

What a stupid argument. The bit about soreness being about positioning - well I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

So you found bfing fine. Many women do not. I have heard many women testify that nipple cream and breast pumps have helped them and without they would have given up.

I say this as someone in the process of setting up a bfing peer support group because of the testimonies as described above.

Marchpane · 12/12/2010 17:20

Excuse me Brollyflower but how exactly are you qualified to comment and make such outrageous statements about nipple confusion?

What a ridiculous thing to say Angry

Tolalola · 12/12/2010 17:22

"attachment parents would argue that using a pram regularly detracts from the development [typo correction] of a strong parent-child bond."

"But that link is not proven in the same way as the brestfeeding one
Improving breastfeeding rates appears as high priority for most public agencies (round here anyway)"

But SPB, I think the link that I and others may be missing is the one between breastpumps and REDUCED bf? Pumps are a practical way for many people to extend bfeeding, and the fact that breastmilk should be fed over formula when possible isn't in dispute, so if bm can't come straight from the breast, then surely it's better to feed expressed bm than to switch to formula?