Should formula milk advertising be completely illegal

[Reallytired]

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6933188.stm

I think so. Mums who need to use formula, are better off getting advice from health professionals rather than advertising.

Allgonebellyup - thats not funny - assuming you were trying to be funny - either that or stupid

oh im only adding fuel to the fire.

Ignore me, im in a foul mood

goodness, flowerybeanbag, how terrible. i am sorry to hear that you lost your wee baby. i wouldn't take that risk either, tbh.

AGBU, it's not a "humble" opinion, it was one calculated to cause upset.

As such, it's not worth rising to, I don't think.

thankyou Aitch. Now have beautiful DS , who fortunately is thriving on formula. Would be torturing myself with guilt if he wasn't, and I know he may not do as well as a result, but couldn't take the risk as I say.

I will never know if this is the right decision, but if I had breastfed I would constantly be wondering if any ailment he may get would be down to my medication, and I wouldn't want him to be the way it was discovered not to be safe.

at least AGBU is being honest in what she is ultimately aiming for ins upporting a ban on advertising formula.

AGBU did you use disposables or reusable nappies ?

FUWW, what do you mean by formula being a "controlled substance"?

I don't like your insinuation that I am lying about my motives on this thread, tbh.

for flowerybeanbag. It's comments like that that get me upset all over again [not you flowerybeanbag] and whether it was done maliciously or not I can't help but feel fecked off by comments like that. But I shall maintain a dignified silence and let hunker tell her off as she is much more informed and eloquent than me.

The history of bottle feeding

here

Baby food adverts through history

here

haven't read all just though it'd be good to add to the conversation

FBB, I think in your shoes I'd be doing just the same thing, fwiw. You must've been on an emotional roller coaster - I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Very glad you have your DS now

thank you Seamonster and hunker Am very happy now with DS

It sucks, not being able to b/feed if you want to.

Everyone knows the whole breast is best scenario so no need to cover old ground.

What peeves me is circumstances such as those of a friend of mine. Now, she has decided, before giving birth that she wants to formula feed. This is an excellent idea for her, due to her personal circumstances. I wouldnt recommend anything other than the choice she has made. What gives me the ARSE is the HCP's she comes in contact with, recommending blardy aptimil. It pisses her off too, because this stuff that she was 'recommended' last time, gave her already poorly DS a very upset stomach.

Why are HCP's able to recommend formulas? What do they know about formula milks that we dont. Why dont we know?

All we hear is "Immunofortis" and "closer than ever to breastmilk".

Information, Information, Information.

I'm not obsessed with b/feeding, or formula. I DO care about the subject. After all, I b/fed AND formula fed my children. Still do.

I didn't think they could recommend? My HV when asked said they were all much of a muchness, to start off with one that is plentifully available locally, then change if it disagreed with DS.

btw agbu
I had severe pnd and couldn't bear my baby to be near me. Actually thought about picking him up by the ankles and smashing his head against a brickwall.

FF gave me space to feed him, to touch him and learn not to be repulsed by him (due to my illness not him) it gave me space to bond with him whilst giving me a break from him. It gave my dh peace that I would be okay when he was at work and so would his ds...

I had a very good medical reason to ff. It it was banned how would he have survived?

I am very pro breast feeding but through experience have become even more pro choice. I am pgt again and are dreading the whole bf issue but are going to try again as I am intelligent and do know of all the wonderful benefits for my ds2.

I don;t think it's just a question of having no milk/no breasts

..you forget the mind is far more powerful than that, especially when ill or damaged.

Hunker, I'm pretty sure from your posts on other threads that you have not called for formula milk to be "allowed" on a prescription only basis but there have been repeated calls for this by other posters.

In responding to the title of this thread I suspect some who say yes, ban it, actually want formula practically banned too.

I'm happy about the prescription formula thing. But thats because I already get it on prescription for my DD.

I can see though that it wouldnt work for the majority.

thank you Fio, yes anti-epilepsy drugs. Baby had severe spina bifida and would not have survived the pregnancy. I'm now on a new one which is fab, much better for pregnancy (which apparently is common knowledge, when I did research after the event myself ), only downside is, as I say, it is relatively new and effects on breastfed infants are unknown.

I started the thread and I don't think formula should be banned. It would be good if Britain adopted policies on breastfeeding similar to Norway though.

Look at this link.

www.babymilkaction.org/pages/uklaw.html

"Breastfeeding rates in Europe

In countries where there is little or no advertising and where the hospital practices support mothers who want to breastfeed, breastfeeding rates are very high:Norway - 99%, Sweden 97%, Denmark 98%, Poland 93%, Rumania 91%, Czech Republic 92%.

In contrast, where the bulk of health information is provided by the baby food manufacturers, breastfeeding rates are very low: Ireland 31%, France 50%, Scotland, 50% (in some parts of Glasgow less than 7%)"

There is no point in actively bullying women in breastfeeding. They need information to make an informed choice. All that breastfeeding propaganda does is make bottle feeding mums feel sh$t. They have been set up to fail by poor ante natal classes, poor hospital care and after care.

Pretty convincing stuff, RT. Not that it's me you need to be convincing

in norway my friends went to stay in a 'baby hotel' provided by the govt for parents to stay in while the mother cracks bfing. they were there for a months... bliss.

a month.