Annabel Karmel wants people to post questions to Clare Byam- Cook - dare you!

[RubyBlueberry]

Have been on AK forum for a while (twas good for baby food recipes) and today she has sent everybody messages asking to post BF questions ... to Clare Byam Cook .... DOUBLE DARE YOU!!

Look here this page

Goldie, Tiktok made that point in a post earlier I think, saying that it works for a number of people in specific situations?

lotsokids - people get animated about this subject because there is a huge amount of bad practice out there, and this bad practice leads to so much suffering for mums and babies.

In all truth I wish there were more people out there getting angry - then something might be done about the poor standards of care and advice that breastfeeding mothers get.

So whats the problem? if her advice works/helps some people...

Guidelines/policies/DOH advise all changes, sometimes for the good sometimes for the bad.. just because its advised doesnt make it right for everyone, i think its very hard to judge blanket statements.

Goldie, it is indeed annoying when people don't read other people's points and then reply with similar points.

I made almost exactly the point in your second paragraph yesterday:

Tue 21-Apr-09 12:37:38

I mean, by all means, make it again....but not as part of a complaint about people not reading other people's points

True S&D, so many people recognise bad advice and are worried/cross about it but cannot challenge it because it is an expert of MP saying it. If more people got more vocal then, perhaps, these experts and MP would be forced to update their information or look again at their methods.

This country is notorious for following the advice of anyone who chooses to call themselves an expert simply because we are so entrenched in the "respect authority" mind set. I have been let down badly in the past (once even had the life of my unborn endangered by a GP) and it is simply because of my (I admit bolshy) attuitude that I have managed to avoid some pretty awful situations. For me, the thing that left me most angry, was the fact that many other parents/woman would not have challeneged the advice they were given. If someone else had done what I refused to do (wrt the GP incident) then it could have been disasterous for the mother and child.

Goldie, the fact it works for some people does not make it ok. For advice to be good it has to work fo rthe majority of people, not just a few.

Which is the point Tiktok made.

Goldie, I don't think anyone sensible expects blanket advice to be right for everyone. Bits of what anyone says will be right for some people...or will feel right, or will do no harm.

Someone's granny telling them that eating raw radishes will help them make milk might just find that it seems to work.

But if the same granny then publishes a book, or sells her services, and alongside the (harmless) radishes tip puts in information that is likely to undermine breastfeeding for some women, then this is wrong, and worth challenging, yes?

Saying, 'but the radishes tip in the book is quite good, and people can ignore the other stuff that could be wrong' is not good enough! If I pay money to someone, for services or a book, I want to be able to know the difference between something that might just help, and something that might actually undermine me.

I was refering to the people that continued to make the same points.

Im just surprised that people seem to be against encouraging breast feeding, ok dont agree with methods but surely publicity is a good thing?

Goldie - where are people against encouraging breastfeeding? I've missed that.

I also disagree that 'anything goes' when it comes to publicity for breastfeeding. Bf publicity has to be alongside informed, supportive, help.

I am all for challenging information yes, it just seems to go beyond that.

Goldie: "I am all for challenging information yes, it just seems to go beyond that."

Where?

No, it is not a case of any publicity is good publicity, it is a case that bad advice leads to problems. THe people who have problems then tell other people they had problems. Often problems are put down to things like lack of milk or low quality etc rather then the real reason - often bad advice and lack of support.

Publicity needs to be good, it needs to be supportive and inclusive. The advice given in interviews and what have you needs to be good for most people as it will be used by large numbers. It is no good giving advice that would work for a specific case or cases unless you make it clear that is what you are doing.

By goldietheweatherloach on Wed 22-Apr-09 12:29:36
So whats the problem? if her advice works/helps some people...

and shooting into a barrel of fish will kill some fish...

that is being cheeky i know

the point of it is that a more carefully planned approach will give better results all round. more women will have a better bfing experience. etc.

Im just surprised to hear how against her methods you are, ive read some very good reviews of her books.

TicTok...this thread??

Sorry, but good book reviews does not mean the advice is good.

I think maybe im not seeing that her advise is bad, just different.

Actually, I don't know much about her methods. She's likely to be quite good at attaching reluctant babies (as I have said) and there is never only one way of doing things. It's more what she has written about other forms of breastfeeding support and organisations that I object to, and what her understanding of breastfeeding is and how it works, expressed in her books, on line, on TV and radio.
I am sure she helps at least some people, at least some of the time. When she doesn't, though, her clients have no one to go to, as she works alone...and I don't think this is ever good for anyone offering any sort of health or social care.

It's legal, I am sure, but it cannot be good all the time.

Maybe, we all do find it questionable, it seems. Of course it is up to you to make up your mind for your self about what works for you IYSWIM. Where are you approaching this from? As an expert, a person who has/does bf or a person who may bf in the future? I am interested because it is useful to find out what someones personal experience is, not to be difficult or start a row.

My ecperiance is as someone who has bf many times and did not manage to bf once. I have some experience of helping other mothers but purely in a shoulder to cry on type capacity. I have done some research and read a lot of other peoples experiences but I am a long way from considering myself and expert on these things.

Fair enough.

I had followed a link via AK website and had come away with impression that she advocated the murder of small children.

thanks for clarifying.

at goldie!

Im a professional, and im also a BFing mum.

Yes, it does seem that an expert who is dissagreed with can quickly become someone who does very terrible things once the debate gets heated. As has been found in past discussions about certain experts

A professional what?

Don't mention 'rockets', Canute, whatever you do