challenging illegal formula packaging - sorry if this has already been posted but this is from the CEO of the NCT

[harpsichordcuddler]

"The NCT has been given a clear view from LACORS (the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services that some infant formula packaging currently on store shelves is illegal under current regulations.

In order for it to be removed from sale there needs to be a prosecution or threatened prosecution. Local Trading Standards Officers are the people who would bring a prosecution, but to do this they need to receive large numbers of complaints from across the UK.

Would you help? This is your chance to make a real difference.

Next time you are in a supermarket or chemist, check out the infant formula packs (this formula is labelled as ?suitable from birth?) and read the wording.

The wording we are informed is illegal is

? Formulated to be nutritionally close to breastmilk
? With omega 3 LCP,s
? Closer Than Ever to Breastmilk
? Inspired by breastmilk

You may find other wording which is similar.

Send photos or a description to your trading standards office (you can locate your nearest using this link)

Scotland www.scotss.org.uk/scotss2.htm

England www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/consumers/clegis.cfm

Wales www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/env_services/tradingstandards/

N Ireland www.detini.gov.uk/cgi-bin/get_builder_page?page=61&site=9&parent=110

Channel islands www.gov.je/EconomicDevelopment/TradingStandards/

With a note to say

?These packs were on display in my local xxxxxxx on date xxxxx and I believe them to be illegal under current legislation because of the wording on the packs.
Please note the words

[INSERT WORDING ON PACK]

My information is that this wording is likely to be illegal. Please would you follow this up for me and let me know the outcome. ?

They will do the rest. You don?t need to explain why you think it is illegal or comment any further ? just report it. The body from whom local TSOs take their lead has already advised us that this packaging is illegal. Your letter will push them to act."

Kami, I was told to top up my perfectly fine and bfing well newborn DS2 as well.

Shit, isn't it?

The pressure on me to give dd1 some formula topups didn't stop short of emotional blackmail.

I can't post what they said because I can't bring myself to think about it.

Your 80% figure makes sense to me hunker, because it seems unlikely to me that someone would start bf with a plan of giving up after 3 weeks.

Where is the figure from, is it a local one?

I was going to discharge us, but I was emotionally blackmailed to stay (by a nice paed, so I didn't mind TOO much - as they'd said we could have a side room and they'd stop mentioning the f word to me). I'd had gestational diabetes, so I wasn't 100% sure about leaving - but I would've done if I'd had to stay on the main ward with the snoring women and their screeching newborns they ignored all farking night so they could snore. Did I mention they snored? And had arguments with their families. Oh, the deep joy of a postnatal ward...

More here, WM

My local hospital more than 20% off the national average for initiation, btw. 54%

Actually, it's worse than 80% - see this:

The reasons mothers give for stopping suggest that very few mothers breastfed as long as they planned to. When asked specifically about this nine in ten mothers (90%) who stopped breastfeeding within six weeks of birth said they would have liked to have breastfed for longer.

This is the same as in 1995.

The most common reasons given by these mothers for stopping were:
the baby rejecting the breast.
painful breasts or nipples.
insufficient milk.

[When their babies were between 6 weeks and 4 months old, 69% of women stopping would have liked to feed for longer, 48% of women who stopped at 4-6 months and 37% of women who stopped between 6 months and 9 months.]

That's just shite, isn't it?

Thanks for link, Hunker, am reading now.

54% is awful.

The lack of choice thing is backed up by the table on that link, giving women's reasons for stopping.

"domestic reasons", "baby couldn't be fed by others" and "returned to work" were unusual reasons, compared to bf problems.

Cross posted.

Formula companies must be laughing. All those women unwillingly formula feeding.

And they're women who are changing to formula whilst dealing with a newborn. They don't have the time or energy or brain cells to research the issue and camp out on the company doorstep demanding to know wtf "immunofirtis" is when it's at home.

immunofortis. must preview, must preview.

Although "immunofirtis" has roughly the same effect on the infant immune system is my guess.

54% is awful, but I'm looking on it as a positive.

If it was 65% then people would go oh it's two out of three, it's fine, never mind.

But this figure means we might get a bit of funding.

I hope.

The only way is up from 54% - that's my reasoning. I hope. Again!

I think one thing that really pisses me off is there are other women acting as formula company apologists on threads like these.

These companies are lying to and deceiving women. Every day. I don't get how this is acceptable to people. I really, really don't.

WM, they'll probably patent immunofirtis.

And immunofartis. That's for babies with colic. [releases inner flippant]

[snigger]

I'm reading some stuff about the immune components in breastmilk, it's very technical and is making my eyes bleed, but the bottom line is that researchers are only just starting to work out what's in there, and have only very vague notions of what it might be for.

Which does make me doubt somehow that "immunof*rtis" is going to have much of a health impact.

wow. it really doesn't take much for me to feel shit about not bfing again. you'd think i'd be over it by now, fgs.

next time, God, next time..! it will All Be Different.

That's the only reason I want another baby.

DD is 18 months - when does the guilt subside?

Ok, I've read the thread, and have to admit I bought Formula without knowing what was truly in the milk,and yes, I went with what was on the tin (also c+g was given to dc in hostpital).

I feel that if the wording is illegal (which it is), then it needs to be changed.

After seeing insults on here, I also have to say that I had some great help through many of the posters on here, VVVQV, Hunker, Harpsi, Tiktok etc.

lol at 'the only reason i want another baby'. my mum burst out crying when i was pregnant with dd, when she told me that i'd been formula-fed. i'd always assumed i'd been bfed because my bro and sisters were. so i think it might last quite a while...

can i just ditto the thanks to hunker, harpsi, tiktok and vvv et al. their passion for bf saw me through late pregnancy in deciding i would definately bf and then through the early weeks in getting established. it wasn't particularly with me posting questions, but by trawling past posts and seeing responses to other posters. threads like this do help mums and mums to be. thanks guys!

thanks, norah and jo.

I'm not so much passionate about breastfeeding (though in my personal life as a mother I am and I fully understand the long-lasting feelings of sadness about it) as passionate about mothers not having their choices and feelings manipulated for commercial gain, or by poor information.

And feelings are manipulated - why else would the slogans and the logos be the way they are?