We need to get a rep from the Advertising Standards Agency on here...see re their ruling on Boots nipple cream ad

[hunkermunker]

"In its ruling, the ASA said breast-feeding mothers were likely to be "reasonably well informed" about the causes of sore nipples through antenatal classes and literature."

Ill-informed fucking idiots.

Usually it is latch though, FAQ. So to say a nipple cream is the solution is plain wrong, for many, if not most women, especially once past the initial couple of weeks of bf.

yes it may well be "for most" (although given the experience of most of DS1's peers mothers I'm not sure its all that uncommon......and apologies for lack of apostrophes) but for those of us who continued to have sore nipples past the first few weeks, being told that "if it hurts it's because of the latch" before having your DC , and then after seeing a breastfeeding councelor you are told "your latch is absolutely fine" - is a MASSIVE confidence killer.

The causes of sore nipples aside, I also think it's the last thing bf needs to be depicted in an ad, however apparently 'humorously', as something akin to torture. It also contributes to the general idea of bf - a normal bf experience - requiring all sorts of products and paraphernalia, hence possibly seeming, to some women, out of reach or more trouble than ff.

quite, bero

(Bero, thank you for your email - I will reply and yes, am very interested!)

FAQ, are you OK with the ad standing as it is then? Would nipple cream have been the answer to your problem?

mind you having said that I seem to pull the bl**dy short straw when it comes to the "norm" for breastfed/ff babies.

It seems the longer I BF my children the more frequently I'm at the Dr.s with them.

DS1 - exclusively bf until 4 months yes weaned onto solids then.....but only had breastmilk as a drink until he was 14 months old. - at the Dr.s literally every month with him, repeated chest infections, bronchiolitis - the oddest was laryngitis at 2/3 weeks old ("you'll soon learn you baby's cries"........ermm no you won't if they can't cry because they've lost their voice ).

DS3 - ex bf for 3 weeks, then mix-fed for 4. Weaned at 6 months. So far 1 confimed ear infection (admitted to hospital for the day he was that poorly), 2 chest infections and one suspected ear infection (as we speak).

DS2 - ex FF............been at the Dr.s 3 times with him since he was born.......he's 4 now

I can't win can I????

hunker - sorry it was such an epic!

HM nipple cream was the answer to my problem!!!

So your nipples were sore (for what reason?) and nipple cream solved whatever the thing was that was making your nipples sore? But it wasn't poor latch? Is that right, or am I missing something?

And I think you should change your name to ContraryMary, really

HM - your guess is as good as mine, and the breastfeeding councillor who watched me feeding DS1 on several occasions. She couldn't understand why they were sore either .

Latch was fine, DS1 fed beautifully (so much so that when I decided when he was about 8 weeks old I'd had enough of the sore nipples he refused to take a bottle and I shoved him back on the breast........wincing as I did so)

Nipple cream definitely helped.......

And no I won't change my name to CM I can't help it if my kids are as weird as me

ds2 had/has a lovely latch but fed with such determination that there would be blood all round his happy little mouth at first. So nipple cream would have been a tad ineffective for us.
there was NO information at all about bf given when I was pg with ds1 and ds2. Everything I know I have picked up from lurking on MN or asking daft questions which kind MNetters answer for me...