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Infant feeding

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Original poster

Bloody disgrace! Holby City Breastmilk Pumping Scene!

36 replies

organiccarrotcake · 15/02/2011 21:15

Just watching Holby (idiot I am) and a character, a doctor, was in the LOO expressing milk. Another doctor found her, pulled a face like she was going to vomit, and had pumping mum rush out apologising for being "unprofessional". Doctor 2 then asked her why she was back at work if she's "still" breastfeeding.

FFS Angry

OP posts:
bloomingdh · 15/02/2011 21:16

Oh ffs! Mind you that's standard for Holby - it's all total bollocks.

Original poster
organiccarrotcake · 15/02/2011 21:19

I know. I've been addicted for years but I find myself yelling at the screen loads of the time. Such as when a woman's waters break, the bend over in agony and have the baby 10 minutes later.

But this really did piss me right off. 'Scuse me.

OP posts:
MummyBerryJuice · 15/02/2011 21:31

No wonder we're so fucked up WRT bf in this country.

Just had a long chat to a friend lving in NYC about our peer-support group and she has no concept of the social difficulty many have here as everyone she knows bf for at least a year. Those returning to work early often pump exclusively. And she has never come across a hcp (paediatric) with bad advice re bf. Envy

ascouser · 15/02/2011 21:52

it's around 35 mins on iPlayer if anyone wants to see it.
Unbelievable...

FreudianSlippery · 15/02/2011 21:54

Oh FFS Angry

Why bother featuring BFing at all if they were going to be negative?

MamaChris · 15/02/2011 22:13

didn't see it. but maybe a reflection of how bf mums are treated at work? at my last job most people used to whisper negatives about the professor (their boss) who stored her expressed milk in the communal fridge and be more directly negative towards one of the nurses who was expressing (luckily she had no issues with confidence Grin). this was in a university lab where about 50% of staff had a medical background.

ascouser · 15/02/2011 23:06

Have just filed my complaint with the BBC

KaraStarbuckThrace · 15/02/2011 23:18

That is fucking outrageous.

I used to work in a very male dominated industry and when I went back to work I was still breastfeedng. My manager and my H&S could not have been more helpful and supportive - especially my manager who told me his wife had bf their son for over a year :)

Original poster
organiccarrotcake · 15/02/2011 23:24

I have my DS2 in a very close nursery and pop out to feed him while he's there, then he comes into the office in the afternoon for a few hours, where I BF him quite happily.

It's a very family-friendly company Grin.

Now, clearly that's unusual, but honestly, couldn't they have actually come up with a decent - and (FFS) LEGAL - representation of BFing working mums???

I will also be making a complaint.

OP posts:
LLKH · 16/02/2011 11:17

I see what you mean. OTOH, looking at it within the storyline, it seemed to be an accurate way of highlighting Jac's complete lack of empathy and her own unprofessionalness; I mean, who looks over a loo stall anyway?

That said, I am cross with the idea that expressing needs to be relegated to the loos. It isn't something that should be there. It's making food, not eliminating it.

Original poster
organiccarrotcake · 16/02/2011 11:51

Exactly. Perhaps they may rectify it later but I'm guessing they won't.

Mind you, the bullying and other appalling behaviour that is constantly seen on that programme is just a disgrace anyway. I mean, I know they need drama, but honestly...

OP posts:
PenguinArmy · 16/02/2011 14:38

I think Jac being a bitch is fair enough, but the other doc shouldn't have apologised for being unprofessional

deepdarkwood · 16/02/2011 14:46

To be fair ... in the episode, the woman bf-ing was the one who came across as more professional, capable and successful. 'Bad' doctor 2 was unprofessional, desparate to look good, uncaring and incapable.
I was surprised 'mum doctor' 1 character apologised rather than standing her ground, but other than that... I think the reality is that expressing at work isn't always something that is greeted by open arms, even if it should be. I was quite pleased they showed her continuing to express, rather than just assumed the baby was being put into formula...

belledechocchipcookie · 16/02/2011 14:49

She shouldn't have been expressing in a toilet. Surly they have a dedicated room for her? Comfy seats and clean? It's giving the impression that breast feeding is dirty, something to be done only in the ladies toilets! Angry

LoisLame · 16/02/2011 15:01

I could just imagine my boss telling me to go express in the toilets because he'd seen it on the telly.

LLKH · 16/02/2011 15:30

She definitely shouldn't have apologised for being unprofessional especially as I'm not sure how expressing in the loo where no one could see her except nosy people was unprofessional. Again, she shouldn't have been in the toilets.

Unless there was an expressing place and Hansen cut it Wink.

nymphadora · 16/02/2011 16:01

Complained here too!

gaelicsheep · 16/02/2011 18:27

Who on this earth would apologise for being "unprofessional"? Unless she was taking a break that hadn't been authorised, because she hadn't told them she was still breastfeeding...

RJandA · 16/02/2011 19:39

I am complaining too.

Here's the link:

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/

RJandA · 16/02/2011 19:56

Here's my complaint:

The attitude displayed towards breastfeeding in this episode of Holby City was disgusting and ill informed.

First point - the character was pumping in the toilet, when in fact it is her right to have access to a clean, private room to pump in. Given that this is a hospital, surely a clean, private room should be easily available?

Second point - second character makes a disgusted face at the sight of breastmilk. It is true that some people may react like this, but showing such a reaction on Holby City with no counterpoint (i.e. a character being supportive of breastfeeding) is irresponsible and reinforces negative ideas.

Third point - character apologises for pumping and says "I know it's unprofessional...". Breaks from work to pump are a legal right for breastfeeding mothers, so why should this be considered unprofessional? And why would the character in question not defend her own rights? Do characters taking meal breaks apologise for being unprofessional when they eat?

Fourth point - character was asked why she had returned to work if she was still breastfeeding. Thousands of women all over the UK do exactly this, and are able to continue their careers while still providing the best possible nutritional and immunilogical start for their children. This scene suggests that if a women is to return to work then the sensible thing to do would be to give up breastfeeding, or that she should not return to work until she stops.

Haggisfish · 16/02/2011 21:37

I have also complained - bloody outrageous.

elkiedee · 16/02/2011 22:10

Jac who was disgusted by breastfeeding though was being a complete bitch because she is one.

The bf mother actually stands up for herself quite well later in the episode.

elkiedee · 16/02/2011 22:12

Also, hasn't the returning mum got the job Jac wanted as a consultant?

LLKH · 17/02/2011 08:36

No, they are sharing the job which, in Jac's eyes, makes it worse.

PlentyOfParsnips · 17/02/2011 08:48

Yeah but it's Jac and her whole character is cold, heartless, unreasonable bitch. We're supposed to be horrified at her attitude. I think this could be the start of an interesting storyline.