Anyone against the banning of formula advertising? If so, why?

[HollyWeen]

I am a student BFC and we are having a debate in next month's tutorial about the pros and cons of formula advertising.

Unfortunately, I am on the pro side and am having a hard time finding any real reasons why formula advertising is a good idea.

Would banning formula advertising make ff mums feel alienated? Would it take away individual choice?

All views appreciated!

TIA!

I can't think of any positives either! Of course, it depends what kind of advertising you're talking about. Clear informative advertising or look at this cute plump baby/fluffy bear advertising.

It's a tricky one! Obviously the other side are going to have loads of ammo and shoot us down very quickly!

We are talking about the sort of advertising that is around atm...cute laughing babies, dads making bottles in the middle of the night etc.

I don't really have any strong feelings about the whole thing as I think everyone should just do what they do without judgement etc etc etc.
Thinking about it now, I think banning formula advertising obviously with the point of encouraging breast feeding which is what breast are made for, but it puts an awful lot of pressure on us all to bf, which I think is a bit wrong. What happened to freedom of choice?
I also think that any and all alternatives should be made available to all.
I tried to bf but it really hurt and I started finding blood in ds's mouth. I'd hate ff to become so taboo that you can't get relevent information from adverts. It kind of tells us that ff is that bad no one should be forced to see it and would possibly leave some people feeling like a complete failure.
Like I said, no strong feelings.

Isnt this why the bfing rates in Switzerland are so good? I dont think they are even allowed formula in the hospitals out there...

i am all for banning advertising.

I think you've mentioned a major reason for pro formula advertising already. Freedom of choice.
Some people are always going to use formula whether its advertised or not. There is never going to be a 100% breastfeeding.

Maybe breastfeeding rates are higher now formuls isnt advertised? I dont know?

It doesnt make sense though that alcohol can be advertised but formula cant!

I think the trouble is is that it is already so taboo. HCPs don't have the information to give to mothers about the pros and cons of the different formulas and there is no independent body that researches into formula because no-one would fund it. I'm sorry you had a hard time bfing LBB and thanks for sharing.

I think freedom of choice will be one of our main points. I guess without advertising then parents wouldn't be aware of the different brands and the different choices that are out there.

On your debating team, you are pro formula?

Well, I would argue from the stance of women not being able to b/f (get statistics) for whatever reason (usually poor support) and then the question becomes not whether formula would be introduced, but what type.

Also, I would use the argument parallel to cigarette advertising that on the basis of advertsing doesn't make the initial decision, but is more of a brand decision.

Hypothetically, if a woman could not b/f, then she would want information information about ingedients of formula. Also note that formula companies do not provide comprehensive information. So, advertising with the purpose of providing information, as all advertising could be dissemination. Also scope for the argument that market forces, by providing total disclosure would reveal the junk in formula, thus opening up competition for transparency and better ingredients?

Disclaimer: I b/f my DD until she was 13 months and DS, currently 8 months...

Agree with FiveDollarShake that it is crazy that we can advertise alcohol but not formula. But then alcohol is aimed at adults (honest) who have the ability to make their own decisions where as a 5 minute old baby doesn't.
It is a very difficult debate.

Yes, we are pro formula advertising. I guess we could argue the case for advertising, but better controlled advertising ie. actual information about what is in the milk, rather than "our formula contains immunofortis". WFT is immunofortis?!

Alcohol is an addition to the diet rather than the whole diet though.

Maybe there is an economic arguement for formula advertising. OK, so it doesnt do much for women or babies, but looking at the wider picture presumably advertising increases sales, or they wouldnt bother to advertise, so helps those companies be more successful.
Though I suppose that would be countered by the increased health spend that would result from more FF babies?
Maybe also there is a freedom of speech arguement?

litteboyblue

surely formula adverts are aimed at adults who are looking after little ones.. not the baby themselves

I think on your debating team you could argue that whilst bf has benefits ff doesnt - there is nothing wrong with ff and therefore it shouldnt be treated as something illegal/dirty/weird and be hidden off the tv

I think there is also some evidence that people who drink alcohol in moderation are healthier than people who are teetotal.

i think there is some evidence/study that proves advertising doesn't actually influence people's choices, they would make them anyway and it just reinforces.

not sure i believe it entirely but i did have a squabble with course leader on the very subject of formula advertising... she said that so long as the legislation was robust enough any amount of advertising wouldn't/couldn't have an impact on breastfeeding, as in follow-on ads should be banned and formula generally marketed wihtin the code.

I agree with Frasersmummy. The advertising should be factual - not fluffy bunnies and overly contented babies. I F/F. I did B/F but for many reasons (and not just lack of support) I could not continue. I felt that the advertising was next to useless and it only made me aware of which brands were available and nothing about what they contained, product ranges, and how to use them. Formula does not kill babies (as far as I am aware, unlike cigarettes). If you don't advertise it many people will be made to feel like they are buying illegal drugs or something that can't be mentioned public.
Oh, that's come out all wrong but I hope you know what I mean.

I know what you mean MP! Thanks!

So banning formula advertising would make ffing mothers feel that they were going to buy something that is socially unacceptable (like cigarettes) and would make them feel even worse than they already do?

Formula advertising obviously has an effect on sales, otherwise the manufacturers wouldn't do it, but I wonder if it is just brand choice that it influences, or the entire feeding choice.

I was told I could not B/F but found out on the day I had my sect that I could so combined for four months. I had no idea what brand to buy but could tell you which box had a polar bear on it and which had a cow ! I was half prepared to F/F due to what I'd been told but had the B/F gone well, just because dad can do the night feeds it wouldn't have made me switch if I was still B/Fing

if you look up 'advertising doesn't work' you will find some interesting stuff.

There are people who don't have the choice of FF. A good (and timely example) is the many babies taken into foster care or adoption. I was given absolutely no information about feeding when my 6mo came into my care apart from the foster carer saying "Well he takes SMA white or SMA gold, duck". I have no idea whether there might have been something better.

I was shocked to find that FF the might be making people judge my parenting - I think I remember reading a thread on MN that started "Are you ashamed to put formula on the checkout" or something. That made me feel really great I can tell you.

Hi

holly ween i completly agree! what is "immunofortis"??????

that is the one advert that completly winds me up. i was shopping with mil the other day (its nearly xmas i have to be nice at sometime!!) and we were on baby isle and she said to me about the apitmal formula " this is the same as breast milk isnt it?"

I am pro choice regarding ff or bf, but the adverts do make people think they are the same thing! plus they are really emotive, laughing babies, protecting your child with "immunofortis"!

I wish mw had more information regarding formula milks insted of leaving people to the mercy of advertisers!

frasermummy I obviously know that formula adverts aren't aimed at babies, I'm not a complete numpty
What I meant is that we all know that breast is best and all that so my point was why chose an option that doesn't have as many benefits for someone that doesn't have a say iyswim.

My sister had a double mastectomy and a miraculous much wanted, much loved baby. Of course she should have access to information and I have no problem with a huge dose of giggling babies alongside. Should she be made to feel that her baby is losing out? Perhaps people would like factual advertising alongside images of babies staring mournfully at their mummy's breasts?

For Goodness sake, a woman committed to breastfeeding is not going to see an ad for formula and think 'actually I would like to have such a happy baby - think I'll ff after all'!!!

I bf 3 children and wasn't swayed by advertising I'm sure none of you were either.

Back to the Faraway Tree before I really begin to rant...

"I wonder if it is just brand choice that it influences, or the entire feeding choice. "

That depends on the advertising.

If an advert claims that the milk is "close to breastmilk" (which they have done in the past) or make comparisons using the phrase "like breast milk, our formula has..." then some people who are struggling could be swayed by that thinking that there is very little difference between formula and breastmilk so why bother.

If the adverts contain no such claims and are all happy gurgly babies and fat fluffy ducklings then it will be only about brand choice. Which is fine really but I can't imagine any formula company not making claims.

There's an ad about at the moment *or recently) for a follow on milk which could easily be mistaken for an ad for breastmilk. The one that had the giggling babies with captions like "Does my tummy look upset?". All the questions it asks are things which are as usually given as positives of breastfeeding and the implication is that they are rubbish because these happy gurgling babies are formula fed. Transfer this to an ad for infant formula and you have an ad designed to undermine breastfeeding, not sell a particular brand of formula milk.

Personally, I think for the purpose of your debate you would have to concede that advertising should be confined to brand choice and ads like the one above would not be acceptable.

i agree that you won't be swayed by advertising its just that what limits could you put on the advertising? they would take it closer and closer to "this is best" what i do think is that there should be some information without having to search for it on which formula is best (or that they are all the same) how to make up bottles and store them etc. i was committed to bf and then had to ff (won't go into it here) and i didn't have a clue where to start or what to do with the bottles. Some people don't actually have a choice and so they need to be well informed at what they have to do.