Why are the bf support charities...well...why is there more than one?

[hunkermunker]

I know the NCT and BFN had a falling out a while back, but why is there more than one number to ring and so much politics about it all when the thing ought to be helping women access decent, well-informed support?

There should be one number - 888 or something.

Or 8008135 or 5318008.

ROFL!

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I didnt know they had fallen out???

Something to do with accepting sponsorship from Sainsbury's, I think

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Blimey,looking at link it seems to suggest there was a time when the NCT was considering sponsorship from breast milk substitute manufacturers!

Surely shome mistake!

I have of course bored you with story of going berserk when material published by a leading s&lt charity was sponsored by Cow & Gate.

The NCT uses Davina "L'Oreal/Nestle" McCall as a Top Spokeslady Bird though, don't they?

that's really interesting. the bfc who helped (and visited) me was through bf network. i was surprised it was a scottish charity since am in london. maybe she disasgreed with nct and joined them?

Oh that's not fucking on at all.
But then again that silly know all GP on Jeremy Vine (who seems to think she is a specialist in everything from nasal polyps to heart transplants. Woman,know your place! GP stands for general practitioner.) does a bloody interview on the Cow & gate website.

Insidious and undermining, MD, that's formula manufacturers.

Fishie, yes, probably. I know a bfc who did just that - Hackney way.

OK, history lesson: LLL was the first lay organisation of breastfeeding counsellors. Their British wing split about 20 years ago, and so there came to be LLL(GB) and the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers. ABM happened because some LLL(GB) people did not appreciate the US trying to tell 'em what to do.

NCT began in the 50s and about 40 years ago started to train breastfeeding counsellors as well as antenatal teachers.

About 15 years ago (I am not sure of the dates) the wider organisation of NCT (not the breastfeeding counsellors) wanted to take sponsor money from Sainsbury's who at that time had their own branded formula. It didn't happen, but as a result of the discussion about it, many breastfeeding counsellors left to form the Breastfeeding Network. BfN will not take money from anyone with an interest in infant feeding (inc retailers, nipple cream people, bras, pumps etc) . NCT are not quite so strict (though many breastfeeding counsellors would want us to be) mainly because other parts of the membership don't feel as strongly.

There are no particular rivalries between any of the organisations - we often work together locally and nationally. Obviously, by now, the bulk of all the memberships and workers were not even around when the 'splits' happened. It's not a big deal.

Of course there should be one number. There was going to be a few years ago and it fell through (not because of politics, more practicalities). There may be, eventually.

Thank you, Tiktok. One number would be a marvellous thing, I think - easy to remember. Would there be enough bfcs to cope with demand if more women used the service though?

Hunker, that is a real issue. I have my doubts.

I always have that at the back of my mind whenever I give out the numbers, you know. Because it's all very well saying "there is bf support here" and I know the bfcs want to help, but I've seen your maths of how many bfcs there are and how many women having babies and it doesn't add up.

Shame more hcps aren't trained more intelligently, isn't it? It's their sodding JOB after all!