Should Formula instantly be free for all women on benefits?

[mummyof2byapril]

Before now I've always i've always used mothering forums that are frequented mainly by americans.
One thing that strikes me is that many of them on welfare or low incomes have a very strong incentive to breastfeed to avoid the prices of formula.
In this country I see that people on benefits are actually much less likelier to breastfeed and often simply plan to bottle feed.
Do you think the fact that they instantly get vouchers for free formula may sway the decision somewhat?
Remember we're talking about people who're on benefgits so more likely to be young, vulnerable and dare I say less informed or terested in doing any great ammount of research on their decision.

mummy2be - formula is subsidised in the US via the WIC programme.

The socio-economic profile of infant feeding in the US is almost identical to the UK's...that is, women in deprived circumstances are more likely to formula feed just as is the case here.

I think you need to check your info sources.

No. That's what benefits are given for. Furthermore I see no reason to further encourage formula feeding any more than it already is

I ditto what fibilou and zebedeethezebra say.

Honestly, it annoys me that infant formula can be free on the healthy start vouchers, but breastpads or a little bit of money towards expensive nursing bras aren't.

I use mine towards milk/fruit/veg for me, and yes, obv that goes to DD via my milk, but surely both breastfeeding and bottle feeding mums should be encouraged to have a healthy diet, as well as their children.

I know someone who uses her vouchers to pay for formula and then "can spend that money on fags" out of the rest of her benefit Horrible way to see it.

you get £6.20 a week for the first year, which almost covers a tin of formula.

21% of women breastfeed at 4-6 months in the UK 33.2% of women breastfeed at 4-6 months in the USA

I'm sure I've read poorer people in USA are more likely to breastfeed, but a source for (or against) that needs digging out..

www.llli.org/cbi/bfstats03.html

If there is not vouchers that can pay for formula, then parents might be tempted to give their babies cow's milk. Having subsidised formula saves lives.

I think the healthy start vouchers are a fair system. Giving the breastfeeding mothers a bit extra money to spend on their food makes things fairer. A breastfeeding mother who does not eat properly is at risk of making herself ill. She needs 500 calories more than a bottlefeeding mother and its important these calories are not empty calories.

I was working for an organisation providing information for parents with LD and Deaf parents when the healthy start thing was being developed.

We were keen to get all info in plain English for our users so I read a lot about the plans.

I was to read the amount of comments from HVs and health/social care profs along the lines of 'if you give them money they will spend it on fags and beer'

Cos apparently thats what we do

I am planning to spend my Sure Start grant on a flat screen tv obviously.

what i want to know is why bargain booze accepts heathy start vouchers. what do they sell that's healthy?

chegirl, I am at those comments too from HV's but my 19yr old cousin and mum-of-two DID in fact spent her sure start grant on a flat-screen TV and a new tatoo.........................all for her DD's enjoyment clearly!

Disgusted by some of these comments:

Milk vouchers = freeloading???

Boo hoo! people get money off formula but I can't have money off an expensive nursing bra!!?

'what more do people on benefits expect my taxes to pay for??!' - stick your taxes up your arse you smug git.

Idiots.

Oh and forgot this one:

'I'm glad formula isn't free then'

I'm glad you're glad. I'm glad you're happy that people have to struggle because they didn't have the choice you did.

Wouldn't want these freeloading lazy benefit scroungers getting any more extra help would you? That would be a disaster.

Fucking hell, some people amaze me.

Christ on a bike, what are your ishoos?

My mother-in-law was breastfed despite her mother thinking it disgusting and animal-like, because they couldn't afford anything else. Having said that, part of the reason she thought it disgusting/animal like was apparently the fact it was associated with poverty. They were a Yorkshire mining family and it was a status symbol, bottle-feeding, my MIL tells me. It's going to take a while for that to die out, IMO. Her nieces used formula as well, because they thought bf was icky.

People don't always react to something being free the way you'd expect. The poorest areas have very low bf rates, while Hampstead is in the 90th percentile. Also agree that forcing people to bf for money reasons is unpleasant. It should be a choice, albeit a well-informed one... whose boobs are they, anyway?

My ishoos?

Thought I'd made them quite clear tbh

Riles me up when people begrudge other people who are struggling a bit of extra help.

It's well known that forula feeding is the best choice for most mothers, why the harrassment of OP?

Of course it should be a choice, it IS a choice, but why should other people have to foot the bill of that choice? I chose to breastfeed, but I don't expect for someone else to foot the bill for the breast pads and the nursing bras that are pretty necessary.

You choose to formula feed, you pay for it, IMO. Same as if you go into hospital with no intention of breastfeeding, you should have to take your own formula. I was told that I should have bought my own cotton wool to change DDs nappy when I was in hospital, but people around me were being handed formula left, right and centre. :/

(Yes, I am aware that some women CAN'T BF, or need to top up for medical reasons, but this is a completely differnt situation.)

CWG so the poor should only breastfeed? Even though thid has been proven to be bad for babies? SHAME ON YOU

What's the point of vouchers anyway? If we as a society think poor mothers should get some help, why not just give cash?

Formula is best for babies, and poor people breastfeeding is bad for babies?
Anything to back that up, or are you just making this up as you go?

oi, do not feed the troll.

I shall take back all the troll's vouchers. No food for you.

I wouldn't say an expensive nursing bra is a necessity.

I just can't see milk tokens as being a bad thing. Formula is expensive, and if you can't breastfeed it is most definitely a necessity.
I shudder to think how much I would have struggled without milk tokens.

Agree with you about the hospitals though, won't give you a bit of cotton wool but the formula was almost forced on you (back in my day anyway ).

SMG don't feeed the troll, or even give them vouchers.

Was implying that nursing bras ARE expensive, not that you need an expensive one! Although I suppose it depends on what people consider a lot of money.

I'm a lass that wore £5 bras, so the £20+ a pop ones were a bit for me! 36GG nursing bras don't seem to be sold in bloody Asda either. The swines. Also, I've had to replace mine several times because they were so bloody battered/elastic gone etc.