Breastfeeding debate type thingy on gmtv now...

[wellbalanced]

....

"Breastmilk beyond the age of two isn't necessarily very good because it's very very sweet, and giving sweet things to your child as a comfort every time she falls over - the fact that it's breastmilk doesn't make it any better than a glass of coca cola - it does damage babies teeth, ask any dentist."

oh yes the mum was lovely and normal

and the author was also lovely and normal

Should complaints maybe be sent to whoever it is who monitors programmes in general, rather than GMTV, who obviously just chuck them straight in the shredder? Who is it offcom?

what a lovely mum. cbc looked dreadfully stiff didn't she? wouldn't have wanted her as my midwife that's for sure, let alone have her help with bfing.

Here's a link for ofcom complaints.

www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/progs/specific/?itemid=414131

x post there arolf, sorry

www.brianpalmerdds.com/bfeed_caries.htm

• as bad as coke?! Give me strength...

'There are 4,640 species of mammals, all of whom breastfeed their young. Lactose is present in most of the breastmilk of these species. Humans are but one species of mammals, but are the only species with any significant decay in deciduous teeth. Mammals, starting with the Australopithecines have been on the earth for 2 to 4 million years.19 Modern Homo sapiens have been around for 30,000 to 35,000 years. Dental decay, however, did not become a significant problem until about 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Anthropologists believe the increase in decay was primarily due to the advent of the cultivated crops. Some anthropologists believe it would be evolutionary suicide for breastmilk to cause decay and that evolution would have selected against it.'

(from the link you posted spiderlight- but so obvious, I felt it needed highlighting!)

I've just made my complaint to OFcom. We all should. Do it!

i've sent a complaint.

it said "In the latest interview regarding extended breastfeeding, the views expressed by Claire Byom Cook were promoted as fact by the presenter, even though Ms Byom Cook is not a currently registered Breast feeding counsellor, nor does she (to my knowledge) have specific training in this matter. The lady who was interviewed as a mother who breastfeeds a 4 year old was treated as though she was doing somethign bad for the child, with no medical backing at all. the views expressed by the mother and by Ann who wrote the extended breastfeeding book were ignored or downplayed.
I believe that this kind of interview is deliberately provoking to encourage mothers that extended breastfeeding is somehow wrong (in light of the programme's sponsor being Nestle who make a baby formula) and shouldn't be done.
The WHO states that babies should be breastfed until AT LEAST 2 years old and it is always beneficial for toddlers and young children to be breast fed as well as given good solid food.
This is not the first time that GMTV has shown this bias against breastfeeding."

hope that's actually accurate...

oh and it's riddled with typos

I'm so glad my MW was more human than CBC!

The mother came across really well, not some mad odd creature who needed the BF to continue to satisfy her own needs, she was clearly doing it because she felt it was right for her children.

I thought it was interesting that 'women of a certain age' thought it was wrong.

Right, I'm off to email La Leche L again.

That's the first time I've seen CBC in action

The author seemed as though she had far more to say but was perhaps a little intimidated (at being on TV and by the witch sitting next to her. It's a shame LK didn't do more to draw her in to the discussion rather than just repeat in awe of everything CBC said.

Agree the mum was very good.

ROTFL at Dawntigga

Dawntigga .

How can we nofity the La Leche League ? I am sure they and the NCT would be fascinated to know the "breastmilk no better than cola" fact..

Sorry Knotty !

I have complained to OFCOM

"In the article this morning Carol Byam Cook was incorrectly described as a "breastfeeding expert". It is my understanding that she is not registered as a breastfeeding counsellor and is no longer practising as a midwife. Some of the comments that she made (breastmilk is as bad for childrens' teeth as Coca Cola) were highly irresponsible and given her introduction as an "expert" by the programme, this sort of wildly inaccurate and misleading information is likely to be believed by many mothers.

The WHO recommend breastfeeding for at least 2 years and it is highly irresponsible of GMTV, a programme supported by Nestlé - the largest formula manufacturer in the world - to be operating what appears to be an anti-breastfeeding agenda when very few UK babies are breastfed after 3 months. "

I have emailed NCT