"it is important that, in preparation for and during breastfeeding, you eat a healthy, balanced diet"

[harpsichordcarrier]

or so it says on the "important information" on some HCP stuff Cow and Gate sent me to give out to parents.
but that's VERY misleading isn't it? it might imply that if you haven't eaten a healthy diet during pregnancy, you shouldn't bf? that formula would be better alternative?
it just seems a weird thing to have on a formula notice.
I am thinking of complaining - what do you think?

I should say "or am I over-reacting/completely misreading"....

you are mad

I think that Cow and Gate are satanic.

And I ate lots of cake and party rings to prepare myself for breastfeeding and both boys seem prefectly scrumptious as a result, thank you very much.

Yes, I'd complain. But I'm like that.

agree it's v misleading. so how come in third world countries where women are near to starving yet manage to bf their babies ok?

sorry I think you're over-reacting.....my very "pro" breastfeeding MW that I had when I was expecting DS1 said almost the same thing.....and she certainly didn't take it off the back of Cow and Gate packaging...

yes cod I am quite quite mad.
however, I am not the one who fancies Piers Morgan
I am like that TOO hunker, as you know. It just sits badly with me.

RHSS - but that's not strictly true is it??? Yes the babies do generally get enough milk - but the mothers often become even more ill.

Message withdrawn

well, how do you know QOQ? this is the same material that is sent to midwives. It is certainly completely counter to everything I have beem taught about bf. and why put it on at all?

It does me too, HC. It's the insidious creeping language of setting women up to fail or doubt their bodies.

If they could manufacture artificial placentas to undermine women they probably would.

I think you are absolutely right. Of course the subliminal message is, 'your breastmilk is likely to be dodgy - use our vitamin-packed formula instead'. Why else would it be there? Lots of people on MN believe it too and have seriously considered using formula for exactly that reason. The marketing of formula is just that - marketing of formula, so you knock the competition as much as you can within the law.

I'd complain - it's clearly complete bullsh*t and yet another thing that'll put mothers off breastfeeding, like all those old wives' tales about the numerous foods you shouldn't eat because they'll upset your baby.
Breastmilk from someone living solely on McD's is barely any different from that of someone eating a perfect organic diet, and AFAIK there are several studies that have been done on this.

harpsichord - this was over 6yrs ago - so for starters I doubt they had the same marketing stuff as they do now...... Secondly - she refused to give any advice to us in the antenatal classes about bottle feeding......saying "it was all on the tin if that's what we chose to do" - she wasn't pretty 'anti' formula!

Loads of women use formula believing it's near as dammit the same stuff as bmilk.

They are being ill-served by this sort of language.

Caveat: Of course it's great that formula exists for women who can't or don't want to bfeed.

but geekgirl are they all old wives tales?? There were definitely some things I ate which upset DS1 - trial and error soon sorted out which ones were affecting him....

She wouldn't have been allowed to give a group information about bottlefeeding. Some midwives flout this (the one doing our classes did), some obey it.

HM - I know it's bl**dy awful that they're not even allowed to give BASIC information about how to bottlefeed - approx how much/often they should be fed, any problems than can sometimes crop up with certain ff's (I know some babies get constipated)......I felt like a duck completely out of water when I FF DS2 as no-one was 'allowed' to give me any guidance!

Message withdrawn

yes, that's right, code of conduct &c&c.
thanks everyone I think I will complain. Though god knows no-one probably reads the Important Notice, it's the principle isn't it?

I think it's good that they don't give that advice to groups, QoQ - no way of telling whether somebody is paying attention, etc.

Individual advice is a bit different though.

what do you want them to say..........

"just eat utter cr*p when you're breastfeeding, or even go on a crash diet, it'll be really good for you and your baby"..........."

HM - judging from the reactions of most of the mums (who did actually mainly BF their babies at least for a short time) about breatfeeding I don't think most of them were listening to that either......

there's no need to say anything, QoQ, it is totally irrelevant to have on a formula label imho.

oh, and it's misleading. and wrong. apart from that I think it's fine