Would you sign a petition to make formula only available on prescription?

[FourArms]

I've just been sent a link to this petition.

I don't think there is any way this would happen now in the UK, but would it be better than the current situation?

The further petition details are:

Breastfeeding has always, and will always be the best way to feed a baby. If Infant Formula Milk is only available on prescription, it will mean that a mother will have to physically talk to her doctor about any issues (including physical, emotional and mental)she has with breastfeeding. This will mean that the incidence of breastfeeding will increase and the level of support that women have with their breastfeeding will also increase. It will also mean that there will be fewer illnesses in babies and young children, costing the NHS millions less in resources, and leading to a generally healthier population.

This is off topic and I didn't bf myself, but a friend of mine needs bf help on the post linked on my post above to Tiktok, and I would be really grateful if someone knowledgeable could pop over and give her some support. Cheers

pootle - I am not bothered about your opinion. You can have whatever opinion you like. It was your hostile, chippy tone, and the abusive terminology, that rather spoiled an otherwise robust and adult thread. You're continuing with this tone - you now react to people querying your language by accusing them of not having 'perspective' and needing to 'get over themselves' and 'not liking' your opinion.

I am disengaging, too. I think this thread has run its course, anyway. How often can people post their contributions saying more or less the same thing, anyway?!

(LadyT - no need for me to contribute to that thread, though thanks for asking me , as she has had some good suggestions already which she says she's going to follow up on.)

I think, in an ideal world, formula would be provided, not necessarily on annoying inconvenient prescription though. But this is a world where everyone would have help and support to BF successfully. And they would want to. But this is some kind of utopia, where we don't have pollution, and landfills and all the rubbish things that we've done. I am the poster that said that ff was a 'damning indictment' of women's attitude in general - in the same way that all the rubbish things we've done as a human race is a 'damning indictmnent' of our attitude to this planet. Me included. A bit dramatic I know - I was getting into the debate but I do actually believe that in a way so sorry - LadyThompson was furious, and so were others Eek. I wouldnt sign this petition though - it wouldn't work.

Ruby, didn't mean to single you out You know I don't agree with you but I was just arguing the toss and I assure you that however cross I got (I am pregnant the moment, I seem to have rage to spare!) I promise I don't mean to upset you and I hope that I haven't.

Sorry but I think there really are more pressing issues to sign petitions about!! My daughter has been only bottlefed through complete choice on my part, and she's happy, sleeps & feeds well and is no more sick than other breastfed babies I know. I don't judge women who breastfeed their babies/toddlers. I don't see why they should judge me. Milk feeds are only a stage in a child's life, albeit an important one. I fail to see why some need to make it a mission one way or another.

No.

People would just give their babies cows milk anyway.

Absolutely not.illiberal to reduce choice and fill gp surgery with unnecessary bookings.such volume of appts will cost gp time,fill appts,increase wait for appt.wasting time and resources for a non-prescription product

given the majority of mums ff do you seriously advocate reducing their choice and forcing them to gp for formula

this is unnecessary beauracracy.wasteful of staff and individual time

No

But I'd ban all formula advertising and make available to parents a decent, generic formula at cost price so fewer people were benefiting financially from babies receiving suboptimal nutrition.

Because nobody else makes money from "suboptimal nutrition"?

Presumably you are OK with companies making money off fast food, greasy chips, chicken nuggets, canned soup etc?

Surely if it is on prescription then it will be free? So therefore more women would ff as they don't have to pay for it?? Or am I wrong? I was quite shocked the other day in Tesco when I saw the price of a tin of formula. How do people afford to FF!?

The point is that nobody would be able to choose to FF. You would only be able to get a prescription if there is a medical reason why you can't BF.

this is counter productive demonising a normal activity.it is the majority mode of feeding for most mums

gp's are already busy and increased capacity for the additional appts and repeat prescriptions would be unwieldy and unnecessary

This petition is really offensive and irritating and NO WAY would I sign it. I breast fed my daughter for nearly three months but after an emergency CS and many problems to do with non-diagnosed pre-eclampsia it was emotionally and physically extremely tough. To be honest when I finally admitted defeat both my daughter and I were far happier (she actually began putting on weight properly having been underweight since birth and also sleeping a bit as a result) - I stopped feeling guilty that I 'wasn't doing it properly' and I stopped getting mastitis which meant I felt better and could be a better mum. I am sick of the narrow minded facistic attitudes in this country about bottle v breast - yes we all know that breast is best but if we have problems PEOPLE SHOULD STOP ADDING TO THE GUILT. It's about time we began to credit new mothers with the intelligence to be able to make a sensible judgement based on their babies needs and their own needs.

No I wouldn't. Nor would I want to reduce it's availability (how would banning its sale in corner shops help?) or make only one brand available (if your baby doesn't take to that brand, then what?)

"Because nobody else makes money from "suboptimal nutrition"?

Presumably you are OK with companies making money off fast food, greasy chips, chicken nuggets, canned soup etc?"

No - not thrilled with all the horrible marketing of unhealthy food that's aimed at children.

But formula is a baby's sole food isn't it? And simply using formula can damage the mother's ability to change her baby's diet, so the implications are different. You can always stop feeding your child chips, but once you've decided not to breastfeed it's pretty hard to change your mind.

No - I am a huge supporter of bf and a trained peer supporter but the choice of feeding method should be the mother's. Adding a layer of bureaucracy would help no one and cost too much.

Mothers need good, reliable information antenatally (i.e. not stealth marketing of ff coupled wtih bf myths) and then they should be supported to make the right choice for them. If that is to give ff then so be it. The last Infant Feeding Survey showed most want to try bf so the will is there. Those who do not should have their right to choose respected.

I would rather the money be spent on properly training all NHS staff who come into contact with bf mothers to give them correct info and support. Plain packaging for formula milk and no "scientific " claims and absolutely no advertising of follow-on milk, toddler milk and all that would be ideal too. Mums should be able to get good info on formula milks from their HVs

"suboptimal nutrition" now theres a loaded phrase..

Absolutely not and I speak as someone who was put under huge amounts of pressure to bf ds in hospital NICU/SCBU and then had equal amounts of pressure from HV to give up bf and formula feed.

ABsolutely NO WAY.

i hate this nazi esque atttitude about breastfeeding. The pro breastfeedeing lobby does itself no favours, either in it's discussion on here OR in the wider media generally. Comes across as bombastic and sanctimonious.

I BF both of mine until 4.5 months then switched to ff because of MY mental and physical ill health, as a direct result of bf.

Low supply issues DO EXIST, PND being made worse by the trauma of bf DOES EXIST. Women feeling trapped and enslaved by the whole process of bf is a real issue.

If bf works for you then fabulous, do it and for as long as you like, Nothing against bf at all, I think it's great if it suits the baby and THE REST OF THE FAMILY.

Having a mother deressed, exhausted, sleep deprived, hallucinating and crying all the time does not a happy family make. Totally agree with SGB earlier on in the thread.

ok apologies for the term nazi, it IS offensive and I shouldn't have used it.

However i stand by my view that many pro bf types are almost fanatical in their single mindedness about the subject. Blinkered and highly judgmental, viewing women who choose to ff as somehow lesser beings and ff being tantamount to child abuse. This is the attitude on here sometimes and it stinks.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!

Lucky everyone who is able to successfully breastfeed. They do not realise how lucky they are and should stop being so smug and think that everyone will find it easy.

I would dearly have loved to breastfeed my baby, but in the end it just didn't work. I don't see why any smug breastfeeder should make me feel bad about it.

Minx i echo your post(although wouldn't call bf supporters Nazis)my personal experience of trying to get help was shite (I am afraid my blood boils when I hear this as I tried 3 sources of help and managed to get only one to call back 5 days later). My experience bf did contribute negatively to my state of mind and psychotherapy was needed to sort it out. And
most of all I wonder what the view is on whether having a galactacole so bad it is still with me nearly two years later counts as not really trying hard enough ( I did for 6 weeks of pain needless antibiotics that made me and dd sick so I am mystified as to how much harder I could try).

So no this petition a stupid idea

And mrs Santo where were you when needed you but your post spot on. Sadly tho given issues on midwifery and hv funding generally if think your Idea may be some way off

Well the OP was not in agreement with this petition just wanted to draw our attention to it.