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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

You know the way advertising formula is banned...

119 replies

Tatties · 19/02/2006 11:28

...well is there anything to stop the subtle promotion of formula feeding in other ways - like this for example? The story has nothing to do with feeding babies so why show a picture of a baby with a bottle? On the news this morning there was a story about women who have babies earlier missing out on their careers (different issue...), and on the clip it showed newborn babies in hospital being fed with little cow & gate bottles!

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:12

I don't understand why women who formula feed feel guilty about it. I don't think they should. (It seems that women who intend to formula feed feel less guilty than women who want to breastfeed and fail.) I think women should make the decisions that work for them, and work with the decisions they make. I loved how that article talked about formula feeding and breastfeeding and guilt.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 19:13

Um. I have no idea why that happened. It certainly wasn't my intent. Sorry.

FrannyandZooey · 19/02/2006 19:15

NQC, if you have something to say, I think you should just come out and say it, not beat around the bush like this

madmarchhare · 19/02/2006 19:37

Ha ha, did you love it that much?

Original poster
Tatties · 19/02/2006 20:36

LucyJu that is a very good article. I actually don't see breastfeeding as a choice. It is just the biological norm, as you say, but thank god we do have formula for when a mother cannot for whatever reason breastfeed.

This really is not about breast v. bottle. But what on earth is "holier than thou" about the sheer act of feeding babies the way nature intended and speaking up when images in the media undermine this? I am intelligent enough to realise that there are myriad reasons why a baby may be formula fed, and at no point did I criticise parents who do formula feed for whatever reason - I would be a very insensitive person to do so; but does that mean we can't talk about improving the public's perception of breastfeeding?

BTW I have plenty of things "better to do" than emailing the BBC, like I'm sure we all have better things to do than posting on internet forums ; but it takes minutes to do, and what is the point in moaning about things if you don't stand up for what you believe and at least try to make a difference.

Those with informed choice, great, bottlefeed away; but it's not fair that those who aren't informed should miss out on breastfeeding just because our society doesn't make it easy or portray it as the norm.

OP posts:
Racers · 19/02/2006 21:24

Well done Tatties. I would think nothing of this if there were remotely equal numbers of images of breastfeeding in the media but there just aren't!
Along similar lines, I was thinkng about writing to Granada about showing breastfeeding in Coronation Street. Claire Peacock is pregnant so an opportunity there for her to bf her child. One concern I'd have is that they would do it badly - ie misleading or wrong information, showing it in too negative or too positive a light. Not an easy thing to do well, I suppose. I have no idea how to go about making any such suggestion. Can anyone help?!

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 21:26

Hmmm, an acquaintance writes for the soaps, I can ask her about this the next time I run into her. (Her son goes to the same school as my DS1.) I know she's worked for Coronation Street in the past, but as I don't watch soaps, I don't really ask about these things.

Racers · 19/02/2006 21:35

Thanks NQC. Would be interested to hear her response!

NotQuiteCockney · 19/02/2006 21:36

I did ask her once, if it was ok to show bf on telly, and she didn't know. Her DS is 5 or so, I think, but she did BF him, and has a good attitude to it all, I think.

Original poster
Tatties · 19/02/2006 21:41

I'll help you write a letter to Granada Racers!

OP posts:
Racers · 19/02/2006 21:43

I'm absolutely sure it must be ok to show it on telly (presume you mean for the time of night etc? as they showed loads on Ch4 recently! ).
She sounds like the perfect person to speak to. Thanks, I'm very grateful you are willing to ask about it

Racers · 19/02/2006 21:44

Thanks Tatties! I'm still feel like I hardly have two brain cells to rub together so help would be great

LucyJu · 19/02/2006 21:51

I think the character Judy Mallet was supposed to be bfing on Coronation Street. She was depicted in one scene having stains on her top because of leaky boobs...
There was also a character on Brookside who bfed. Can't remember her name now - Max Farnham's wife. She was quite a middle-class character and was depicted having mastitis. So, nice positive images there, LOL. Then again, there was one character who went on about how disgusting it all was (Ron Dixon) - and he took the "ignorant bigot" role. I seem to remember reading something about the NCT thanking the producers of the show for depicting bfing, but it's all going back a few years now and I can't remember exactly.

Racers · 19/02/2006 21:59

Thanks LucyJo (interesting link, earlier, btw). I remember Judy Mallett but not the leaky boobs!

Original poster
Tatties · 19/02/2006 22:00

If we add our brain cells together we might have 4 then CAT me if you want

OP posts: