Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Roxy's comments on Eastenders about breastfeeding

61 replies

jimmyjammys · 13/01/2009 23:15

Was anyone else disappointed with her comments that she was didn't like breastfeeding and that all the "middle class" mothers made cross signs at her when she got out the bottle? I can't find any other threads discussing this so if there are could someone link me to them?

I thought it was really appalling generalisation that only middle class mothers breastfeed and they look down on people who don't. Why couldn't she just say she didn't get on with breastfeeding and leave at that - or even bother mentioning it when it's not part of any storyline.

I really expected better from the BBC.

OP posts:
bubbleymummy · 13/01/2009 23:18

Not a very productive comment - think maybe a letter to the BBC would be in order!

Original poster
jimmyjammys · 13/01/2009 23:21

I was really shocked by the comment, there was nothing in the storyline about her troubles with breastfeeding, i think only one mention that she was expressing for her baby which was premature and then this really bad comment.

OP posts:
BabyStarlightsMum · 13/01/2009 23:21
Sad
BabyStarlightsMum · 13/01/2009 23:21

Perhaps the script-writer has ishoos

Original poster
jimmyjammys · 13/01/2009 23:24

I think you're right about the script writer - it was a really below the belt comment aimed at someone! Would it really kill them to have one good role model.

OP posts:
LadyOfWaffle · 13/01/2009 23:24

Why make a point of it? WHy not just have a character just breastfeed.

Original poster
jimmyjammys · 13/01/2009 23:27

Exactly! why didn't Roxy just breastfeed and that be the end of it. I may have missed a few things as haven't watched every single episode but it sounded like a real "fuck you" to mothers who breastfeed. There was no real need for it.

OP posts:
bubbleymummy · 13/01/2009 23:28

I know - it would be great to see more people on TV just bf normally without making a big deal about it...sigh

BabyStarlightsMum · 13/01/2009 23:29

Or 'trying' to bf with crap help from HCPS if they wanted to get a typical picture...

Carmenere · 13/01/2009 23:30

I think they were just being true to her character. They probably don't have a political agenda.

Original poster
jimmyjammys · 13/01/2009 23:31

it would be interesting to get comments from anyone else who saw it, the way the actress portrayed it in my eyes was that she was sort of too cool to breastfeed and that the ones who did where stuck up middle class bitches. Maybe I got it wrong?

OP posts:
scifinerd · 13/01/2009 23:33

I totally agree jimmyjammys, I was shocked too

Carmenere · 13/01/2009 23:33

Yes I saw it and could imagine the character of Roxy not wanting to breastfeed and thinking that the middle-class bf mummies were looking down on her.

ilovelovemydog · 13/01/2009 23:34

It was said in the context of Roxy being judged by others, so Carmenere is right.

Not that there weren't other things that could be used as far as her being judged by others (getting pregnant by her sister's boyfriend ).

And when/where did Roxy meet a middle class mom anyway? So not sure it was in character.

cheesesarnie · 13/01/2009 23:34

agree with Carmenere

treacletart · 13/01/2009 23:35

It was sad wasn't it? But there was a sane woman breastfeeding in a channel 4 comedy the other night called "plus one". Don't think I'd ever seen positive incedental breadfeeding dramatised before - it was shocking!

thumbwitch · 13/01/2009 23:35

I didn't get that feeling jimmyjammys - I got the feeling that she was reacting to being made to feel like a bad mummy by the haughty sniffing/signs of the cross reaction to her giving up bf'ing.

I don't think that bf'ing is very easy with the OtherLand (where the babies all go) tv situation - you'd need to have the baby around, or lose the mother, far too much for it to be credible and it would interfere with the story lines.
Not excusing it - but the character wouldn't be able to participate as much as normal if bf'ing.

LadyOfWaffle · 13/01/2009 23:35

Why? Too young? Too 'cool'?

ilovelovemydog · 13/01/2009 23:36

She was breastfeeding before. It wasn't the breastfeeding/formula debate...

Original poster
jimmyjammys · 13/01/2009 23:37

I know what you mean Carmenere about her character, but part of the storyline was that she was expressing and if she didn't want to breastfeed they could have done it in a way that didn't bring social generalisations into it and reinforce a stereotype that breastfeeding mums are smug and middle class. Why didn't she say i didn't get on with it and the other mums were supportive of my decision!

OP posts:
Cryptoprocta · 13/01/2009 23:38

DH came upstairs to tell me that a woman was breastfeeding on that Plus One. He was very impressed

EyeballsintheSky · 13/01/2009 23:39

I must admit I did wince when I heard her say that, having been impressed, 30 seconds beforehand, that she was wearing the baby in a sling, which is something else you never see in soaps. Thinking about it practically though, I agree with thumbwitch in that it's not easy to incorporate, but that comment gives a bad message alright.

MaHumbug · 13/01/2009 23:42

Cryto - what was good about Plus One was no-one actually mentioned it, made a wisecrack or anything similar.

Aitch · 13/01/2009 23:43

who wrote the script, did anyone notice?

honey bf in eastenders, btw.

Carmenere · 13/01/2009 23:43

I thinkn that they have just decided what kind of mum she is going to be and that bf probably doesn't fit into that image. I really don't think they think about their (arguable) responsibility or how it reflects on the whole issue.
And I'm not sure they should, I think when society starts to take it's direction from soaps we are all in trouble

Swipe left for the next trending thread