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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:
kiskidee · 25/04/2006 16:19

this writer has been reading MN and made a big list of all the negatives and applied them to him/her experience.

the starting out quote reputedly from a 'friend' seems like a near direct quote I read on here not even 2 weeks ago.

what a cheap, ignorant shot, put paid for it I guess.

bl0ndie · 25/04/2006 16:32

Write them all Caligula Grin ust read the article and felt inexplicably depressed. If I would have read it when I was pregnant I would have thought 'forget it', and missed out on a v. happy breastfeeding relationship and my dd has never had problems gaing weight. Honestly if somebody wrote such an inflammatory article about bottlefeeding I'm sure there would be more uproar. I synpathise with her that she struggled, but I get annoyed when people imply this will be a universal experience just coz it was their experience. (ok rant over :)

bl0ndie · 25/04/2006 16:32

Write them all Caligula Grin ust read the article and felt inexplicably depressed. If I would have read it when I was pregnant I would have thought 'forget it', and missed out on a v. happy breastfeeding relationship and my dd has never had problems gaing weight. Honestly if somebody wrote such an inflammatory article about bottlefeeding I'm sure there would be more uproar. I synpathise with her that she struggled, but I get annoyed when people imply this will be a universal experience just coz it was their experience. (ok rant over :)

tiktok · 25/04/2006 17:17

I have just read it, too, and I find it depressing as well. I also spotted the similar quote, kiskidee, but that could be chance.

The Independent will get lots of emails agreeing with the author that too much pressure is put on mothers and it makes them feel guilty and their babies are healthy and happy on formula so what is the point of bf? It is a good idea to send sensible, measured, women-friendly emails simply pointing out (for example) the long list of risks of formula feeding (including inc risk of cancer for the mother) and saying how clear it is that merely telling mothers to breastfeed is useless if they are confused and unsupported...and it is not other bf mothers' fault that she had a crap time.

JoolsToo · 25/04/2006 17:32

the response to this isn't surprising is it?

Most of the breastfeeders on here will see it a load of old claptrap - bottlefeeders will see one woman's experience and a grain of truth.

and with that PARP

shazronnie · 25/04/2006 17:35

this article made me mad this morning over my brekky; she actually likened bf to dying in childbirth - something which was now unnecessary in modern society!

tiktok · 25/04/2006 17:38

Jools - the mother's experience is entirely typical and not a load of old claptrap at all. Many, many mothers go through almost exactly the same crap time as she did, and feel exactly the same as she did.

However, as a journalist she has a professional duty to get the facts about breastfeeding right, and I am amazed her editor let her get away with citing 'a German nutritionist' and being selective with Dr YG's list.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 25/04/2006 17:49

Of course its not a surprising reaction - it was an unbalanced, misleading article.

moondog · 25/04/2006 18:00

I've sent them an e mail.
No use complaining about it if we do nowt to speak up!
Smile

moondog · 25/04/2006 18:01

Please send an e mail too.
Took me all of 5 mins.

JoolsToo · 25/04/2006 18:03

ok

Original poster
emkana · 25/04/2006 18:07

I e/mailed them first thing this morning!
And my letter will be published, just spoke to the letters editor. [proud emoticon] Wink
It's interesting, very interesting actually - I had to change one line in my letter as "the lawyers wouldn't stand for it" (I wrote that she's twisting the facts), but she can misquote and get away with it...

OP posts:
GDG · 25/04/2006 18:14

Too much time on your hands- get a life

GDG · 25/04/2006 18:15

Not you em - thread in general

snafu · 25/04/2006 18:18

There's a reasoned response, thanks, GDG.

You've not got a new job as an Independent journalist by any chance?

sweetkitty · 25/04/2006 18:19

I found the article v sad. Almost every time another mother finds out I'm BFing DD2 they tell me a story of how they tried maybe for a few weeks but it was too hard, they weren#t making enough milk, they had no milk, cracked nipples etc. I find it really sad that they feel like failures and feel they must justify not BFing. Again I think it boils down to not enough support out there for BFing mothers.

I thought the author was feeling guilty about not continuing so was using the "well formula feeding was great for me" as if she was trying to justify her choice to herself. If she was happy formula feeding then why write the article defending her choice. Sour grapes I think.

The half-starved comments baffle me, if that were the case surely none of us would be here now as if our ancestors hadn't breastfed their babies would have died. Better get back to my half starved 91st centile BF baby.

peaches27 · 25/04/2006 18:20

Thank you emkana for the link.

Amiable · 25/04/2006 19:03

Thought the article was incredibly biased, but wow, talk about sparking a debate! Which has to be a good thing, right?

Incidentally I decided to BF, having read loads about it and agreed it was best for the baby etc. I knew it could be very, very hard and I would need to learn how to do it properly. However, what I had not realised was that dd would also have to learn what to do. On the sixth day, after nearly a solid 14 hours of tears, and swearing at my daughter for not "getting it" I made the decision for my sanity and her health to not BF. Best decision for us all round - within a day I felt I was bonding better with her and actually looked forward to spending feeding time with her - not resenting her as previously.

don't feel guilty in the slightest - as I say, that was the best decision for us - she is thriving and I am happy. I will definitely try to BF if we have another - now knowing EXACTLY what to expect I will try to persevere.

Caligula · 25/04/2006 19:16

GdG what exactly is your objection to people discussing this article and objecting to the misinformation the journalist is printing? Why do we have to "get a life" if we discuss breastfeeding, but not any other subject? Do you tell posters on other threads to "get a life" as well, or is it just breastfeeding you find so annoying that you are prompted to come on the thread and tell everyone they have too much time on their hands?

You could say about any thread on Mumsnet, that everyone on it has nothing better to do than post on a chat site. But it would be discourteous to your fellow posters, wouldn't it? Why d'you think it's OK on breastfeeding threads? I'm really surprised by it.

moondog · 25/04/2006 19:21

It really is kinder to ignore her Cal.

For the sake of her own dignity,I sincerely hope she doesn't make an utter tit of herself as she did the last time this was discussed.

That's avery refreshing attitude Aimiable. Smile

Original poster
emkana · 25/04/2006 19:23

I'm lucky though, I'm excused due to having a hard time atm, so I can waste my time on breastfeeding threads as much as I want to. Wink

OP posts:
Amiable · 25/04/2006 19:50

Thanks moondog. I got a great quote from one of the (many!) childcare books I have: "At the end of the day, your baby's relationship with you is more important than your baby's relationship with your boobs"

It's a great book, by the way - "Kidwrangling" by Kaz Cooke. It's down to earth, common sense advice with lots of tips from other mums, and a non-biased attitude, ie, whatever works for you and your family is good. Both funny and useful which I always appreciate. Sorry for shameless plug, but it really is a great book!

GDG · 25/04/2006 19:56

Pot
Kettle
Black

Caligula · 25/04/2006 20:02

Sorry GdG I just don't understand that response.

I know I shouldn't rise to it, but I'm really mystified.

moondog · 25/04/2006 20:07

Amiable,is it a British book?
I've never heard of it,and thought I was au fait with most parenting manuals!

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