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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Whats your view on this breastfeeders?

56 replies

littleducks · 09/08/2006 20:18

Extract from Boots Parenting Club Magazine, Issue Two:Crib to Cot (p39 'Making it Simple, 10 things you never knew about weaning')

'2 All babies develop at different rates
Both the Department of Health and The World Health Organisation recommend that babies are exclusively breastfed for 26 weeks (6 months). But what if your baby seems very hungry at around 5 months and extra milk feeds aren't helping?'If hes showing all the signs of being ready to take solids and doesnt clamp his mouth shut or turn his head away when offered them, you should carry on with breatfeeding him and slowly start to wean' says Angela, 'However if your baby isn't willing to take solids and is tailing off on the growth front then a small addition of formula milk in addition to breastfeeding might be advisable'

There is a bit more if anyone wants to see context but i didnt want post to be even longer. I'm concerned about the addition of formula aspect, but as my dd is only 3 months i didn't want to get on my high horse without consulting more experienced mums.

OP posts:
SimonBolivarCusack · 09/08/2006 20:19

who is this Angela?

squigglesmum · 09/08/2006 20:25

I love Boots, mainly because the Advantage card is such a good deal. So I signed up to the parenting club for the offers. But as more issues came through, I got really fed up of the formula adverts and the advice like the stuff you've mentioned, so I've stopped reading it completely. And most of the offers were for special baby food and snacks, juice etc which I never used, or nappies (which I don't use either. Well I do use cloth ones!)It's actually put me off Boots a bit, though I do still hoard my advantage points for a rainy day. You know, the ones where you need a new lippy.

geekgrrl · 09/08/2006 20:27

well, Angela's knowledge of babies' digestive tracts is obviously superior to the WHO's.

hermykne · 09/08/2006 20:28

littleducks
i nreastfed my ds til 13mths,and started solids at about 24 and half weeks, i really tried to get to 6mths. but i didnt intorduce formula and was heartened by all the excellant advice here for not going that route and encouraging to me to continue feeding him.

geekgrrl · 09/08/2006 20:28

oh - and my opinion on this pile of crap? Looks like they'll do anything for a few extra pounds. Heck, their pharmacies will really benefit from their advice, too.

Quootiepie · 09/08/2006 20:29

boots sell formula, not breastmilk... ;)

SimonBolivarCusack · 09/08/2006 20:30

well anyway it's total pants whoever Angela is
Quootiepie makes a good point

dizzybint · 09/08/2006 20:30

i'd say it's in Boots' interests to promote early weaning, so they can sell all the paraphenalia plus the jars of food etc.

Funnyyummymummy · 09/08/2006 20:35

I asked if there was a feeding room in a boots store near me, the assistant said cant you just do it on the bench over there I said I'd like some privacy she asked why I said because I am feeding my son myself she said urgh no sorry and walked off! Also agree with the fact its in Boots' best interest to promote the baby food they sell! Oh and I managed to breast feed ds til he was 5 months and 3 weeks! It was hard work but when he tried to nick my food I kinda figured he wanted more than my boobies!

LaDiDaDi · 09/08/2006 22:46

I got that in the post today and noticed that paragraph. Angela is a health visitor. Unfortunately I don't think that necessarily qualifies her as an expert .

CaligulaCorday · 09/08/2006 22:49

If Angela's a bog-standard HV, the likelihood is that she'll know about as much about bf as the average plumber.

It's a pile of cack and if I could be bothered I'd launch a missile with a baby strapped to it - I mean a writing campaign - at them.

nuckingfutjob · 09/08/2006 22:51

Fucking idiot woman.

Are there contact details for said publication/bog roll substitute?

NattyandThomas · 09/08/2006 23:19

this seems very strange to me as breast feeding mums are told never to be tempted to suppliment with formula as it de creases milk supply!

i was very annoyed with one comment below...
i formula feed myself as my son was born with a tooth (!) and i dont agree with people getting the hump about formula adverts in the boots info. breast feeding mums all seem to not notice that in every article about bottle feeding theres a little box saying "breast feeding is best for babies blah blah blah" and for the mums that have no choice (i also have inverted nipples) it can make you feel like such a failure as a mother. i can remember being in hospital and after 27 hours of attempted and failed bfeeding i gave him a bottle. minutes later a midwife came in and said "breast is best you know" i was in tears for hours because i couldnt give my son what was best.

therefore i welcome any advert or article because at the end of the day we dont ALL breast feed and if boots can have pages advertising breast pumps, why is formula a problem!!!!

Original poster
littleducks · 09/08/2006 23:19

Yes Angela is a hv, i will be contacting boots but i didnt feel confident enough before as i havent experienced that myself (yet) but felt that a hungry baby needed to spend more time at the breast to increase supply. BUt mums in my antenatal group are all a bit annabelle karmellified arranging puree parties etc. so couldnt discuss with them. Thanks for the replies.

OP posts:
mummy2ashton · 09/08/2006 23:20

omfg!!!!!! what terrible crap potentially damaging and unecessary advice! i'm off to complain!

suzi2 · 10/08/2006 08:19

I'm off to rake out my last issue - it's still in the recycling bin I reckon! Must complain too. Feeding your baby has so much conflicting advice as it is, there's no need for big companies like Boots to be getting people more confused! I think they should hve a responsiblity to do things 'by the book' so to speak.

CHEskidee · 10/08/2006 11:18

a friend was telling me yesterday that when she asked for somewhere private to feed her dd the woman thought she meant to ff. when she specified she wanted somewhere private as they advertised that they would provide, she looked at her like she grew another head and rudely said 'no, we don't have anywhere for you to do that'.

Oh God I wish it was me who she told that to. OTOH, i just feed my dd anywhere and WISH someone would try to object. I bet they never met a mother bear with cubs yet.

CHEskidee · 10/08/2006 11:18

oops, this was in BOOTS too, btw

geekgrrl · 10/08/2006 11:22

{hollow laugh} she's a health visitor? Well, that explains it, then!

adath · 10/08/2006 11:34

Ooh never read the magazine, will dig it out think Dd has it and complain.
|It is true they sell these things so want to promote them, so it is in their interests to say yeah supplement with formula while rubing their hands to gether when one bottle leads to another as you supply decreases until you are buying a tin a week from them......ok must stop ranting.

mimoyello · 10/08/2006 12:27

Looks very dodgy. In fact it is soooo dodgy, if someone gives me the exact date of the Boots mag. I will report them to Milk Action. It looks like a beach of the advertising code for milk substututes.

tiktok · 10/08/2006 12:42

Angela has the attitude that formula milk is a source of calories that is somehow 'better' than breastmilk.

She should have said 'However if your baby isn't willing to take solids and is tailing off on the growth front then offering your baby more breastfeeds might be advisable.'

I mean, if all the baby is lacking is calories to make him grow (and most babies are physiologically slower in growth at this age, and that is fine, but that's another issue) then the mother has unlimited calories available, very handily, without buying anything or sterilising anything or pureeing or mashing.

Sheesh. It's not brain surgery or anything.

Original poster
littleducks · 10/08/2006 18:02

There is no date on magazine it is for members of the parenting club and is sent out as your baby reaches a certain age/development stage. What is milk action?

OP posts:
Original poster
littleducks · 10/08/2006 18:06

There is no date on magazine it is for members of the parenting club and is sent out as your baby reaches a certain age/development stage. What is milk action?

OP posts:
mimoyello · 10/08/2006 18:08

This is from Baby Milk Action's website:

"a marketing code was introduced in 1981 to regulate the marketing of breastmilk substitutes. Companies continue to violate its provisions. Find out how Baby Milk Action works to stop them and how you can help".

If you are concerned about marketing violations (and relatively militant ) join - I think it is still only £7 a year for membership.

The website is: this