Help Restrict the Promotion of Formula milk - Send Email to FSA before May 5th

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This is from the Breastfeeding Manifesto Coalition ....

How a baby is fed has profound health implications for both mother and child. It is very important that all parents, those who use formula and who breastfeed, have access to reliable information based on evidence that is free from commercial pressure. Only when this happens will parents be able to make a fully informed decision about how they want to feed their child.

In the UK however, weak laws mean that formula advertising and promotion far outweighs good quality information on feeding. The result of this is that formula feeding mothers find it hard to access reliable information to understand the facts about the various products, including safe preparation and storage of formula milk.,

To improve protection for parents and babies the Breastfeeding Manifesto Coalition is calling for the WHO Code of Marketing of Breastmilk substitutes and subsequent resolutions to become the Law in the UK (Objective 7 of the Manifesto). This is something we are committed to, but it can't happen overnight.

However, we do have an opportunity NOW to help move UK legislation in the right direction and strengthen the legislation governing baby milk promotion in the UK. The Food Standards Agency is consulting until February 5th on the new Guidance which the formula milk advertising must follow when promoting, labeling and advertising formula milk.

Please send the email below and play your part in helping to ensure that the new Regulations are as strong and robust as possible. Public pressure makes a real difference so make your voice heard!

www.breastfeedingmanifesto.org.uk/make_your_voice_heard_2.php/

I've sent the email.

"and you shouldnt dare try and conversate with me"

Someone's been studying at the George Bush school of English! PMSLROF

Colacubes and youngbutnotdumbs posts have got me thinking about the 'bf mafia'/nipple nazi/bf militant conspiracy theory thing. It's fascinating. I wonder if there's anyone out there who's done research into this - why so many women are convinced that this sort of militancy exists on a vast scale and that ff mums are being actively persecuted for not breastfeeeding. Listening in on these conversations about bf/ff on mumsnet has taught me something about the nature of prejudice - this weird situation where those people who are the most prejudiced of all (those who think there's an evil bf mafia conspiracy to demoralise all ff mums) are also those who feel the most persecuted - despite the complete lack of evidence that there's anyone out there persecuting them!

I mean - the anger in youngbutnotdumbs posts - whoah! Her belief that there are people who want to 'force' mums to breastfeed, who would rather see babies starve than have formula. Where does this come from?

And the sort of language that people use to when they're talking about this: nazi/breast police/having breastfeeding 'forced down your throat (find this image particularly startling). Really violent language. I think about this and I try to marry it up with what I know of the language and behaviour of those midwives and breastfeeding counsellors/peer supporters involved with teaching mums about breastfeeding and supporting them after their babies are born, and I think - what is REALLY going on that women come away from these encounters convinced they've been brutalised? The word 'projection' comes to mind.

sabire, great post. I wonder the same!

Tiktok - thanks for picking up on the National Formula thing .

I hate it when people try to give you a kicking. You have always been so rational and reasoned - even to me, a bottle and formula feeder

I could answer that question Sabire, but this really isn't the thread. It's gone a bit pear shaped as it stands!

winestein

Good post Sabire, I think the whole 'you can't say that because you'll make people who formula fed/feed feel guilty' school of thought seems to come from much the same reasoning.

Does anyone actually ever say 'you can't say that because you'll make people who formula fed/feed feel guilty' though VS? I think that statement comes from the same school of thought alongside imaginary persecution!

Yes winestein they do, all too often, it's even been mentioned (just worded slightly differently) on this thread.

FWIW, I'm not in the business of making anyone feel guilt over how they feed/fed their child(ren), the only people I'd like to get guilt tripped are those who could help and don't, thise who give crap advice rather than asdmit they don't know and the people happily making money out of new mothers without a thought to the babies they are making food for.

"Does anyone actually ever say 'you can't say that because you'll make people who formula fed/feed feel guilty'" you ask, winestein.

All the time, winestein, truly, not just on mumsnet, either. I have been involved in strategies to support breastfeeding in different settings, and I have heard this many times.

Try suggesting to people that we talk about 'risks of formula feeding' instead of 'benefits of breastfeeding'.

Check out nannyjo's comment last night, on this thread - calling for adverts for formula milk because they are 'consoling' to ff mothers.

Agree, Squalor - making women feel guilty would be a crappy thing for anyone to do, and so often, women who ff have been let down, anyway.

Remaining silent about important matters to save people's feelings does not help change things at all - just leaves the next generation of mothers unsupported and uninformed.

See your points, but I suppose I am wondering where it comes from in the first place. Do people imagine they can't talk about it in case they make a ff woman feel guilty - but now I think about it this thread has the answers to that and I am wondering why I even pondered it after backtracking down the thread

My view is that these issues should be talked about because women might feel guilty.

I can say that because I felt guilty and I had my own reasons for doing so which were personal to my situation, before anyone leaps on me!

I have read this thread and am now convinced the moon is made of blue cheese

Stealth, you are wrong. The moon is made from green cheese....

You are the advertising world's dream consumer Stealth

LALALALALALALALALALALALALALA
NOT LISTENING

winestein, you're wrong- DH and I were once POSL at a guy in the aisle at asda absent mindedly humming (LOUDLY) the asda tune to himself "Da da de-da DAAAAAA" - surely he is the dream consumer

Hello all incase any1s on here from this morning I do apologise was gettin a bit bloody rowled!!! Tend to get like that at times when am a bit stressed was just venting I think! Soz again

It's Friday night youngbutnotdumb.... Have a drink and put your feet up.

YNDB, at least you continued to ask/answer, maybe read some of the studies I linked to and you'll be able to understand more.I assure you the facts, sadly, are there.

Wish I could am working 2morro...
Bugger it will stay here and chat since am bored and convo has mve n from BIG debate this morning LOL.
So whats the topic now?

Ah hello VS robably the one I should be apologising 2 u got the brunt of it soz 1 of those days and topics! LOL

Was he buying Green Giant sweetcorn ho ho ho, refreshingly expensive Stella Artois and Heinz Meanz Beanz though Stealth?