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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Now here's an article that's going to settle the breast v. bottle debate once and for all...

272 replies

emkana · 25/04/2006 12:25

\link{http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article360047.ece\or maybe not}

I particularly like the paragraph about the German nutritionist Wink. Now that bit has totally convinced me that the benefits of b/feeding are being exaggerated. [snort]

Honestly, what a piece of cr*p.

OP posts:
moondog · 27/04/2006 17:01

All valid points Broadie.
Agree with what you say about the 'primal' part taking over when you are really struggling with b/feeding but dtermined to keep at it.

tiktok · 27/04/2006 17:22

Would not argue with any of that, Broadie. I think 'breast v bottle' is spurious 'argument' , leaving out, as it does, all the personal, individual, emotional and circumstantial stuff you (and not just you, but me and many others who post here) describe.

Some of the letters in response to the original article published yesterday and today make similar points, and I hope the author takes note of them.

Interesting you got excellent support from a group...there should be a group like that everywhere.

What went wrong with the breastfeeding counsellor and your friend? What sort of breastfeeding counsellor was she?

JoolsToo · 27/04/2006 17:40

Lovely post Broadie sounds like its from the heart. One of the best I've read Smile

Broadie · 27/04/2006 19:52

She was a hospital based counseller - not very useful by all accounts. Its a shame really as she comes into contact with so many women and she was not very helpful - my friend left more confused after her visit!!

tiktok · 27/04/2006 22:27

Well.... a hospital breastfeeding counsellor would not be from one of the vol orgs (and I have never heard of hospital bf specialists termed 'breastfeeding counsellors' but of course they could take the name if they wanted to) and it means your friend could complain to the hospital if she felt strongly enough.

Amiable · 27/04/2006 23:16

Broadie - love the post! Could you give a bit more info re Bosom Buddies? I've never heard of them and have done an internet search but getting all sorts of weird and wonderful porn instead!

Amiable · 27/04/2006 23:16

Umm, actually just to clarify, the porn was just weird, not wonderful!

Harpsichordcarrier · 28/04/2006 08:02

I was thinking abou the suggestion that "one day" formula will be on a par with bm
and the analogy with artificial blood
but I can't really see how it is ever going to be possible to mirror the qualities of bm. e.g. to make the consistency of the milk change during a feed. to reproduce the individualised nature of the milk in a commerically mass produced product is never going to happen either. and the constituents of bm change over time, so ther would have to be different products for different age babies.
I suppose what I am saying is no laboratory is ever going to be able to reproduce the benefits of a mother's milk for her baby. It's probably really obvious but I had never thought it through before

Broadie · 28/04/2006 09:09

Bosum Buddies is based in North Dorset (Blandford). Its run by Vicky who is a former Nurse and a qualified breastfeeding counsellor. They meet every Friday - all year round. They offer support for breastfeeding mum's before baby is born, after and long term. They promote healthy attitudes to breastfeeding - have a library of books you can borrow, breast pumps, breast feeding pillows - all available to try at home. Its a lovely way to meet other like minded mums in the area, offer support share experiences. They work hard in the local community to promote breastfeeding - and breast feeding friendly cafe and eatery's. They work in close conjunction with health visitors and midwifes and help spread the word.

They are in truth wonderful. Vicky encourages individual mums to train as breastfeeding counsellers and has some as buddies who people can phone in the community if they are having a problem with feeding.

The brilliant thing though is that if you are formula feeding - your welcome to come along as well, or if you only breast fed for a while then its an open door.

At the end of the day we don't debate on whether it should be to feed a child or starve a child - that would be insane, there is no question you feed a child. We don't argue the toss or villify woman who serve up delicious mouth watering (?)bowls of shop bought meals, nor do we frown on woman who mix feed the odd shop bought jar with home cooking. Woman who serve up only home cooked meals, every meal are not heralded as hero's and everything else is failure. Therefore we should treat breastmilk and formula mums with the same respect. Society has a way of making mums feel guilty enough without us all ganging up on one another.

Anyway I have to get some work done - there is a threat of redundancies and I don't want to be picked off becasue of my unhealthy attachment to writing essay's!

debs

Pruni · 28/04/2006 09:16

Broadie, didn't you see the recent "jars for babies equals child abuse" thread? Grin
I'm afraid people do say those things about food.

HunKeRMunKeR · 28/04/2006 09:18

People often FAR ruder about jarred food than formula, IME.

CarolinaMoonfish · 28/04/2006 09:48

but there's a comparable backlash against home-made organic smuggery too IME.

MrsBigD · 28/04/2006 09:50

so the concensus?...

No matter how you feed your baby you will have somebody saying something about it Grin

loose/loose or win/win???

Harpsichordcarrier · 28/04/2006 09:55

I am absolutely all for supporting women's choices, but to think that in the prevailing culture every woman has a free choice is naive, imho.
even a cursory glance at the pages of mumsnet will show you that many women face huge obstacles in successful breastfeeding. The more supportive the cbf culture, the more likely it is that women who want to will bf successfully, and the more likely it is that women will want to.
and as for supporting women's choices on feeding, I shall expect you all to wade in the next time we have a thread slagging off extended bf as gross and disgusting and abusive Grin
non?

Pruni · 28/04/2006 09:55

Meant to say - Bosom Buddies sounds excellent, good to see people actually doing something.

Caligula · 28/04/2006 10:22

Harpsi - happy to wade in! Wink

Harpsichordcarrier · 28/04/2006 10:26
joelalie · 28/04/2006 11:57

Bl**dy hell ...and me too!!! I am proud to be a disgusting and abusive mother still bfing a 3 yr old Wink

HBECK · 29/04/2006 22:58

IF SOME PEOPLE CANT EVEN BE BOTHERED TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN THE BEST START IN LIFE WHY DID THEY HAVE THEM THATS WHAT I CANNOT UNDERSTAND - HUMAN MILK IS FOR HUMAN BABIES! AS LONG AS PEOPLE TRY THATS ALL - THE COLOSTRUM IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS IS PRICELESS BUT SO MANY WOMEN WONT EVEN GIVE THEIR BABIES THAT - TO DENY A BABY THEIR FIRST IMMUNISATION REALLY SICKENS ME

Greensleeves · 29/04/2006 22:59

no need to shout love

veNivIDdiViCkiqV · 29/04/2006 23:01

Thats what i though GS Grin

JoolsToo · 29/04/2006 23:01

\link{http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/16/Regular_plastic_bucket.jpg/180px-Regular_plastic_bucket.jpg\here you are then}

lockets · 29/04/2006 23:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

veNivIDdiViCkiqV · 29/04/2006 23:03

Indeed, JT.

LOL! Was somewhat taken aback by HBECKS post.

Caligula · 29/04/2006 23:12

Good lord Hbeck.

I think you're in danger of blaming individuals for responding to the society and environment in which they're born and brought up.

Shouting at mothers won't change their attitudes or behaviour. Changing the cultural landscape in which they function, will.

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