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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Milupa Aptimil promoting breastfeeding ...

59 replies

WigWamBam · 12/08/2005 10:29

On the Home page there's a link to a site run by Milupa Aptimil claiming to be promoting breastfeeding and offering support lines and so on. If you click on the picture, you're taken to a site purporting to be promoting breastfeeding.

Now, before I get jumped on from a great height, can I say that I have no problem with formula feeding, or with advertising for formula feeding, or with Mumsnet having advertising from a formula company. I'm not interested in yet another breast v bottle feeding barny. But I have to admit to feeling rather odd about a breast-feeding site created by a formula company. Is this cynical marketing, or am I missing something? I wonder what kind of advice someone struggling with breast-feeding would get from their helplines?

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 13/08/2005 19:04

icklelulu, how did you get on? I might give it a go later - am feeling hormonal as have had a totally unfair parking ticket appeal rejected - grr!

hunkermunker · 13/08/2005 19:06

Just seen the line's open from 8am to 8pm - and the guff about "we support breastfeeding because we've spent ages making our formula the closest thing to breastmilk" on their site makes me want to fecking retch.

hunkermunker · 13/08/2005 19:06

Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm, I mean.

Original poster
WigWamBam · 13/08/2005 19:13

The problem is that people believe things like the comment about making their formula "the closest thing to breastmilk". My MIL can't understand why anyone breastfeeds; she thinks that because scientists have spent many years and millions of pounds on researching and creating formula milks, they must be somehow better than breastmilk.

It's a fair bet that she's not the only person who thinks that, and this website isn't going to do anything to change that attitude.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 13/08/2005 19:20

The number of people who have told me that it's the same thing - frightening.

This is not an anti-formula rant, btw - it's an anti-formula companies being deceitful and trying to get people to believe that they support breastfeeding when all they're doing is supporting profits for their company by making ridiculous statements.

hercules · 13/08/2005 19:22

we dont know most of the ingredients in bm so how can formula companies claim to be close?

hunkermunker · 13/08/2005 19:28

Exactly! Looked at a carton the other day and was amazed by how many things were in it - fish oil?

Original poster
WigWamBam · 13/08/2005 20:15

Really? Fish oil?

Isn't fish something that you're meant to avoid giving children too early because it's a potential allergen?

OP posts:
JulieF · 13/08/2005 22:03

Fish oil or even algae is what they get the LCP's from.

I'm really tempted to phone this helpline with the problems I had when ds was born. He lost weight and was refusing the breast.

Will do so when the line is open I think.

moondog · 13/08/2005 22:13

I still can't access the bloody thing!
Been trying for two days.
I'll ring myself when I do!

(Bet the bastards are delighted at the response.) )

Caligula · 13/08/2005 22:17

Bet they're keeping an eye on the threads so that when someone does ring up, they'll give the right advice.

Caligula · 13/08/2005 22:18

Meant to say - Heinken sponsoring a website for recovering alcoholics?

(How many more of these can we come up with? )

moondog · 13/08/2005 22:20

Hey,how about a real life one?? That twat Sting advertising Jaguar cars after boring us senseless in the 90s with his oh-so-worthy Amazone jungle campaign.

Who TF buys Sting albums???

Socci · 13/08/2005 22:22

Message withdrawn

Ladymuck · 13/08/2005 22:24

Link still seems to be working for me.

Socci · 13/08/2005 22:30

Message withdrawn

Ladymuck · 13/08/2005 22:34

Have you tried again (from the home page?)

Socci · 13/08/2005 22:41

Message withdrawn

icklelulu · 14/08/2005 21:27

Hunkermunker I will try phoning tomorrow! Not sure wot problem to approach them with!It needs to be a good one Any ideas? I just told my Mum about it, she is outraged!! Might phone with the problem I had when DS was 3 weeks old. Breast abcess just been removed, can only feed from one side and cant express off the other. What do you think they will suggest?! Prob not hard to guess!

moondog · 14/08/2005 22:08

Oooh yes!
Or just a general sort of 'This is my 10th day of b/feeding and I'm so sore and tired type thing.'

Could you fake some tears?

How about asking the person who responds what their qualifications are? I'm dying to know!

Aragon · 14/08/2005 22:19

WWB. In reply to your original post. Yes it's very cynical marketing and they've been doing it for years.

icklelulu · 15/08/2005 21:02

No luck getting through today. Was on hold for ages and with a baby obviously there is only so long u can stay on hold!!! Will try again tomorrow as DP is home so can watch DS for me! Moondog I will try to fake some tears!

moondog · 15/08/2005 21:03

Oooh,wondering how you got on icklelulu!
Keep us informed.

icklelulu · 15/08/2005 21:16

Will do! I have to think carefully of what to say to them if they give me rubbish advice! I will feel like going mad I expect!

icklelulu · 16/08/2005 16:53

I have just got thru!They didnt mention formula for a few mins and I was thinking 'hmmm wots going on'! THEN 'maybe you should compliment your baby' that was it she kept metioning it after that! I said I was very determined to exculsively breastfeed even if I was finding it hard only using one boob(BTW I used the abscess story, it was true so I couldnt really go wrong). I asked if she was quilified and she used to work as a midwife. Suggested the usual things to try to make my only usable boob comfortable. Lasinoh, leaving milk to dry on the nipple etc She said it wouldnt be the end of the world if I did have to compliment my DS with a formula feed. I must say though I was quite surprised, I thought they would have unqualified persons on the phone and that they would tell me to just give up breastfeeding but saying that once formula was mentioned it kept cropping up ALOT! I thought she might stop mentioning formula as I was emphasising the fact that breast is best and thats wot I intended my DS to have.
I noticed on the site that u can leave questions by email. Maybe someone should try that? I think I might test them again with a more difficult subject that nobody seems to have answers for. Will post message about it later to c wot u think. Gotta go visit MIL now