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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

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

132 replies

HollyWeen · 19/11/2008 21:16

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!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 20/11/2008 08:22

"they need to be well informed at what they have to do"

I don't think advertising would do that (and I'm not helping the OP here am I ?? ) Look at the advertising for anti aging creams. Which one is best? The one with proxylane? Pentapeptides? Ginger root extract? The one with Davina? Imagine face cream was as vital to life as formula is for some babies. How would you choose based on that kind of advertising? You couldn't possibly make an informed choice.

Clear advertising about which ingredients in formula do what for your baby is what is necessary for formula and I'm not sure that's what formula companies would have in mind for their product.

CrushWithEyeliner · 20/11/2008 08:27

"and would make them feel even worse than they already do?"
not sure what you mean by this comment - why would FF Mothers feel bad by default?

CrushWithEyeliner · 20/11/2008 08:28

FF Mothers can be happy and v confident on their decision

Dottoressa · 20/11/2008 08:31

I think you'd have to focus on the 'freedom of information' aspect. I'm not sure formula adverts would really convince a mother to formula feed (I formula fed both my babies but, not being a TV-watcher, never saw a formula ad!)

You could also focus on the negative effects of banning formula adverts (even the fluffy ones). Many women do feel horribly guilty about not breastfeeding for whatever reason, and banning formula ads might well make them feel even worse. For the women who want to bf and aren't able to, it might also be reassuring to hear that their child will not suffer from diminished immunity, stunted growth/obesity, bonding problems and all the other things that ff babies are said to suffer from!

Rather more flippantly, you could also say that any advert that encourages dads to get up to do the night feeds has to be a Good Thing...

Dottoressa · 20/11/2008 08:33

Cross post, Crush. I do agree with you - I thought it odd that the OP assumed that FF mothers would necessarily feel bad. I certainly didn't!!

CrushWithEyeliner · 20/11/2008 08:35

Really odd assumption - but that is how some Women think off FF Mothers I suppose.

SoupDragon · 20/11/2008 08:39

"their child will not suffer from diminished immunity, stunted growth/obesity"

But those things are statistically proven risks of formula. When making an informed choice, the risks must be taken into consideration (and I speak as a formula fed infant who is neither obese, short or suffering from diminished immunity). If you are going to argu the case for formula advertising then you need to accept that any health implications are not hidden. (I do think the bonding thing is a load of b*llocks BTW. Bonding & how good a mother you are has nothing to do with how you feed your baby)

Original poster
HollyWeen · 20/11/2008 08:40

Thanks for your views everyone, it's all good stuff and really helpful.

I really didn't mean to assume that all FFers feel bad about their decision, but I have found that as a general rule most mothers who feed formula do feel guilty and do feel bad that they, for whatever reason, weren't able to bf. This obviously isn't a good thing. As a future BFC I am pro choice and feel that a woman should feel confident in whatever feeding method she uses. I was just generalising for the sake of the debate and I'm sorry.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 20/11/2008 08:41

I think the FF mothers who feel bad tend to be those who struggled with bf and feel they "failed" at it. ie those who did not make an informed choice to FF but had it thrust upon them in some way.

CrushWithEyeliner · 20/11/2008 08:41

I am really glad that you are pro choice HW. Sorry, but our NCT really wasn't and I think I may have projected a bit there.

carrotsandpeasifyouplease · 20/11/2008 08:44

""and would make them feel even worse than they already do?"
not sure what you mean by this comment - why would FF Mothers feel bad by default? "

the fact remains that some do - i certainly did/do and felt/feel like a failure. But what i do now know is that formula isn't poison and my baby has thrived on it, so i would have liked to hear more of that type of information.

but agree about actual company advertising, i wonder if your debate encompasses factual based adverts like the road safety ones but then i suppose the definition of advertising is company based profit making.

purplemonkeydishwasher · 20/11/2008 08:48

my problem with the advertising is this: If you choose to FF, companies don't CARE which formula is best for your baby. They don't CARE about you or your child. they just want your MONEY.

they will tell you ANYTHING to get you to buy their product over another one. so how can you make an INFORMED choice based on what they are telling you on TV???

MrsBadger · 20/11/2008 08:50

This is a difficult one

I am all for mothers having information and hence being able to make an informed choice

but I am not sure that formula advertising in its current form gives that information

Anything that stigmatises formula is unhelpful to ff mothers; but then anything that normalises it is, in the long run, unhelpful to babies in general.

tiktok · 20/11/2008 08:52

Hi, Crush.

I am an NCT breastfeeding counsellor.

NCT is in favour of mothers making an informed decision about how to feed their babies, while at the same time campaigning for breastfeeding mothers to be able to feed anywhere without harrassment, and for formula feeding mothers to have access to correct, non-commercial information about formula brands and ingredients.

This is not the same as saying we have to pretend there is no difference in outcomes between bf and ff.

Individual NCT members, or visitors to groups, or class members, may have their own personal views, but what I have outlined above is the charity's own position, which should be reflected by specialist workers in their dealings with parents. I don't think any specialist worker would be in favour of parents' choice to formula feed being 'disallowed' in any way, so not sure what happened to you.

Original poster
HollyWeen · 20/11/2008 08:58

There is such a need for real information about formula feeding. There needs to clear information about the different brands and information about how to prepare feeds safely. There also needs to be clear labelling on formula packaging stated exactly what is in the milk. This is sadly lacking and I can't see there being a time in the future where this can be freely available.

OP posts:
Dottoressa · 20/11/2008 08:58

Holly - yours was a nice post. If only all bfcs had the same attitude, more women might carry on bf-ing! (I think one of the worst things if you're struggling to bf is someone dogmatically telling you that you have to stick at it at all costs, no matter if you're feeding with bleeding nipples for 90 minutes at a time with a 15-minute break between feeds, day and night, and that your baby will suffer if you even look at a box of Cow and Gate. The pressure of all this can be horrific!)

Being unable to fact that kind of pressure again is the main reason why I FF my DD from Day One, and was 100 percent happy to do so.

Original poster
HollyWeen · 20/11/2008 08:59

stated stating!

OP posts:
Beachcomber · 20/11/2008 09:02

Could you sort of twist things round a bit and say boldly that formula advertising should absolutely not be banned but should be amended.

I think there is a pretty strong case for arguing that formula customers deserve, need and are crying out for better information.

If, through regulation, manufacturers were forced to stick to informative commercials only then these could be of use to those who use the product.

You often see questions on here about how to prepare formula safely and so on. Parents should be getting this info from the companies who make the product FGS.

Maybe I'm being naive, but I'm sure the first brand to ditch the ridiculous and useless fluffy bunny method in favor of actually presenting some useful (and truthful) information, would see a lot of interest in their product.

Formula advertising is so patronising in its current form and I can't think of any argument to justify it other than it ups sales and has a feel good factor to it.

Mmm, not too sure if I've really helped you there Hollyween.

tiktok · 20/11/2008 09:05

Dottoressa, if you have experienced a breastfeeding counsellor or other person supposedly supporting your breastfeeding as 'someone dogmatically telling you that you have to stick at it at all costs, no matter if you're feeding with bleeding nipples for 90 minutes at a time with a 15-minute break between feeds, day and night, and that your baby will suffer if you even look at a box of Cow and Gate' then you have to complain.

I'm assuming from your post this was indeed a breastfeeding counsellor? None of the voluntary organisations trains people to say this and all of them would want to know if anyone was mad enough to depart from their training to say anything like this at all...so please compain!

Beachcomber · 20/11/2008 09:07

I'm guessing that it would be fairly easy for the other side of your debate to make the argument that what you are arguing for re information, etc is, in fact, not advertising at all.

After all the point of advertising is to raise brand awareness and sell products. It is not to inform the consumer in a factual way about the product they are buying.

CrushWithEyeliner · 20/11/2008 09:09

Hi TT,

I am not sure what happened either. When we asked about FF she said she did not have time to talk about it in any capacity and wanted to focus on BF only.

Similarly our NHS ante natal did not want to discuss making up bottles or any detail on FF whatsoever. Just breast.

I personally was happy to start out BF for 4 weeks then developed mastitis and it all went tits up so to speak...I didn't know how to even make up Formula or about bottles at all and DD dropped a lot of weight got quite dehydrated as I was told to keep trying to BF and I couldn't. It was really awful tbh. I am skimming all the details as don't have much time this morning....

MrsBadger · 20/11/2008 09:12

but providing factual information would 'raise awareness and sell products'

the thing is the regulation would have to be such that all formula advertising was factual, or the feel-good cuddly-duck adverts would undermine the others.

Dottoressa · 20/11/2008 09:14

TT - yes, one bf counsellor and two midwives. I exaggerate slightly in the details, but that how I interpreted it in my post-natally traumatised state (DS and I had a near-death experience, which was a bad start). Outside the hospital, nobody ever, ever said that FF (for all its disadvantages) might be an option.

Beachcomber · 20/11/2008 09:16

I guess you're right Mrs B. So factual stuff could count as advertising.

The regulation would have to be strictly applied.

filz · 20/11/2008 09:17

I agree with angrypixie. Whether you like it or not, formula feeding is normal and you know, women are not evil for formula feeding their babies or even choosing to do so. We live in the year 2008. Freedom of choice and burn your bras ladies. If people want to formula feed, let them. It is none of your business. If lifting formula advertsiing bans would help women have access to 'proper' information then I am all for it. If it would not make any difference then I do not see the point. The truth of the matter is, unless you have access to the internet you are not going to be able to access good information with regard to formula or breastfeeding. You will be given a patronising leaflet of someones breast on the maternity ward and then get duff advice off your community midwife. But I live in the real world