Remember that breastmilk testing device thingy someone tried to ask us about?

[pookamoo]

See this article

Can I do an and also be about this?
Talk about undermining parents' confidence!!

Just trying to cash in.. they can through formula but there's no profit in breastfeeding. Something for free just doesn't compute in this day and age.

And by returning a result to the mum saying "your milk is sub-standard" they will of course be scaring them away from free bfing and into the arms of the money-grabbing formula companies.

I'm not anti bottle, but I think the formula companies are despicable in what they do.

I wonder if Stirling Uni is receiving any sponsorship on this...!

Yep, even though breastmilk changes in line with the babies needs from feed to feed. A total, complete, tailor made food and personal antibodies from birth.

But there's no profit in breastfeeding.

It's all over my facebook today by my BF page, they're all over it as is the one you linked and no doubt by the end of the week there'll be petitions and stuff.

Another piece of fuel for the mn campaign against Bounty (as if they needed more ammo!)

I'll report my post and see if this issue can be added to the campaign.

How, exactly can breastmilk be even remotely 'substandard'? What a pile of tosh! Even deficient breastmilk (if there even is such a thing) is better for baby then formula so what is the point of this test? Saw it on fb too and wasnt suprised to link it to bounty!

OK I'll admit I bottle fed from 4 weeks

But how on earth could any breast milk ever be sub standard? Arseholes!

Good idea, flip flop

thebreastmilksonme the thing is, those of us reading this and getting offended by it have a bit of knowledge about how breastfeeding works. Unlike, so it seems, the so called academics running these tests!

I'll freely admit I had no knowledge of how bf works before DD1 was born. It was only when I saw that Channel 4 documentary about "Other People's Breastmilk" while pregnant that I learned milk doesn't just come out of a hole in the middle of the nipple like a bottle . After overcoming initial difficulties feeding, I have educated myself and learnt loads of amazing facts about breastfeeding, any one of which would be more valuable to a new mum than a "scientific" test!

The problem is, even with petitions etc, these people won't be held to account. They should be very embarrassed for having publically demonstrated their severe lack of knowledge, though!

Exactly.. the body is very clever and will make decent milk. It just takes it from us/our bones so we suffer. Somebody really lacking the body will just stop producing milk full stop but it takes a while to get to that point.

There had to be something to come along to play on a new mothers fears and insecurities.. par the course.

Their website talks about the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling. I'm sorry, but what on earth has fish farming got to do with breastfeeding?! Madness! They've clearly sought out a tenuous link with actual research to promote their dubious and unethical product

Really weird, because that other one on here was from Imperial, not Stirling. We almost talked them out of it! Maybe we did, but Stirling forgot to ask for the MN opinion before they went ahead and spent their massive cheque from un-named formula / pharmaceuticals company.

I would imagine that their interest is in flogging omega-3 supplements from their farmed fish.

I cannot believe that this product has been approved by a university and given a veneer of respectability. One sample of expressed milk! That's all they're analysing?!

I hope that this doesn't get any more publicity.

Makiing women feel guilt, controlling what they eat, and probably flogging suppliments!

Like exbrightonbell that is my suspicion! Just thinking their target market being worried pro-breast mums who want perfect milk ... formula would create guilt, so they can say mwahahaha... your milk is weak, either FAIL and use formula or buy our maaaagic piiiilllllss!

That is absolutely shocking!

A classic example of marketing based on misrepresentation.

If you look at their 'science' page, it cites studies which show there is an effect on birthweight of babies in mothers who had a higher intake of Omega 3 during pregnancy. It also cites a paper which concludes that Omega 3 is good for alleviating symptoms of mild PND (this is unrelated to feeding choice)..

There is nothing in the sciency bit to demonstrate a link to dietary level and BM level, nor BM level to outcomes in the infant.

Bad science to flog supplements.

I have had this test. I responded to a Bounty email offering the test for free.

I was a bit shocked when the box arrived and I saw the tag line "does your milk have everything your baby needs?". My immediate response was "well of course it does FFS". I don't think babies have been keeling over for lack of Omega oils lately.

I scratched my head a bit when sending off my sample. There was no instruction to take the sample mid-feed sample or anything like that. How do they allow for variations in fore milk and hind milk?

I just got my results back today and they show my levels as sub-sub-optimal. They recommend supplements and a re-test in a month. I already take Omega supplements.

FavaBean that is shocking. How many vulnerable mums will be taken in by this? Presumably as well the retest isn't free?

I know Bounty don't have a fantastic ethical record but this stoops them to a whole new level. Disgusting

Fava what rubbish. What exactly was sub optimal? Did the results give you a full breakdown?

fava
How brave do you feel? So you have the emails/ paperwork? I think you have the evidence to get this campaign pulled immediately.

What does sub sub optimal mean? Do they want you to pay for the next test?

The while thing makes me feel a smite cross.

Can this even be legal? It sounds very very dodgy as they seem to have no evidence to back up the claim.

It's complete legal to weasel scientific information so it looks relevant and/or important to what is being old. The beauty industry does it all the time. As long as you are not making false claims (and it doesn't seem as if they are).

Website here: mymilkcount.com

They seem to be testing for omegas in the milk. Funnily enough they are also a manufacturer of omega supplements.

X posts. So there is evidence of a specific level of omegas below which is suboptimal for a babies development?

Apparently bountys pulled out/having nothing to do with it.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=699041326819850&id=164256076965047

Good. I thought it was particularly bad that the first test was offered free with bounty then you had to pay £100 for the second test