Gah! Ulrika spouting off in today's Evening Standard

[lizzytee]

Yes, it's in response to Kate Garraway on cross-nursing/wet-nursing. The bit I love (not) is her statement that formula is the "time-honoured", "modern" alternative. As if wet nursing was something newly invented by flaky Californians?

I do respect her opinion but wish she would get her facts straight

How can something be time honoured (which I presume means traditional?) and modern?

I haven't read the article yet but I have a depressing guess it starts "We all know breast is best, however..."

I was right, although it was halfway through.
FFFFFFFFS

Ulrika in talking crap shocker!!!

SPB, the evening standard is the sister paper of the Daily Mail, so of course. Despite the fact that both Ulrika and Kate are both pro-breastfeeding.

knee jerk small minded idiocy

thank you beansprout! PMSL
Oh yes they have to mention they're pro bf. After all she is still feeding her 3mo

That just depressed me, as what she says about feeding her babies proves that just cos you can afford to pay for "the best" doesn't mean you get better support or advice than the rest of us plebs.

what do you mean? The stuff about watching what you eat and surviving on bland mashed potato, vitamin pills and filtered water?
(OK I exaggerate but the usual crap about it all goes into the milk)

She's not feeding her 3mo old - it was all too demanding with three other children.

Interesting that she raises (and expresses such shock at the formula/GM food comparison).

Her factual information is rubbish.

But apart from that, she asks people not to judge other mothers - while judging like crazy herself

"I've had to forsake spicy food, chocolate and orange juice. Some women I know go even further - resisting anything other than very bland food for the sake of saving their baby a stomach upset."

Twat.

"To me, my child at another woman's breast is far more unnatural than giving my baby boy cow's milk. My handsome little boy will be drinking real cow's milk in nine months time - whatever the cross-feeders have to say about it."

Idiot.

Why, exactly, is Ulrika an expert in breastfeeding? Even adding up all her children, she's breastfed for less than 2 years in total! And another woman's breastmilk is vastly superior in every way than formula. She also seems to have forgotten that most soy and whey formula is only available on prescription.

Gah!

Oh SPB, it's the whole package and the fact that for "lifestyle" articles there seems to be no obligation to substantiate any of the facts. Although there's a nice thought...."Correction: the breastfeeding police have asked us to point out the following inaccuracies in Ulrika Jonsson's article......"

And no, I don't buy that "I'm just an ordinary mother" shtick either.

Double Gah!

Just realised I am scoffing chocolate and drinking coffee.
Wouldn't drink orange juice though - surely you can give up for the sake of the BABY?!
(Disclaimer - I don't like the stuff)

My stock answer to the spicy food myth is always to ask why the human race hasn't died out yet in south Asia.

But maybe in some ways good as it draws attention to the programme. I had missed all the Kate hoopla so didnt know about this but will be sure to watch it now.

And how amazing that Kate was so open-minded? I remember watching a programme a few months ago re women who bf-ed their 7 year olds and I must admit I did find it pretty off-putting. Possibly because it is not really my bag to feed such an old child but more probably because of the tone the presenters were taking.

It would be very easy for a person doing a programme on cross-feeders to ridicule it but if, as suggested by Ulrika's article, Kate looked at the merits of the argument and come out respecting the women well and putting them forward in a good light well ... how refreshing!!

Ulrika writes:

'one Italian-born woman travelled to Sudan to breastfeed two dying twins, who thrived on this stranger's milk.

Rather than being moved by this notion, however, I find myself thinking it would have been easier and more cost-effective (not to mention more environmentally friendly) to have shipped over a vast crate of the very best formula.'

Ulrika shows no understanding of the fact that you need a clean water supply and electricity to make formula safe to drink, and you can't get that in many places in the world. Not to mention of course that these dying twins needed the antibodies that breastmilk provides.

Do I really want to read that article?? Or am I just going to seethe over it for the next few hours, then bite dp's head off!!

I'd love to know her views on donated EBM in hospitals... wonder if that would be as 'abhorent' and as much of a 'lunacy'?

SPB - i remember my HV telling me off for drinking grapefruit juice when ds was tiny. I was amazed it could make my milk acidy!!

Does coke make your milk fizzy too?!

Where has she got her info from?

What, pray, is 'whey' formula? All cows milk formula has whey in it.

I love the way she gets in the 'oh, but I really like Kate, we're bestest showbiz mates, it's nothing personal' bit as well. Such a classic.

"...to have shipped over a vast crate of the very best formula"

And which one would that be Ulrika?