'Bribed to breastfeed'

[AmIThough]

On Good Morning Britain today, they're talking about a new scheme to offer mothers shopping vouchers in return for breastfeeding.

Personally I think it seems unreasonable. As mothers we do what's right for us and our children. Breastfeeding isn't right for everyone and there's already a lot of pressure for us to do so.

All of my friends and I tried to breastfeed.

I have been successful but choose to combination feed which works best for me.

Some friends haven't been able to continue breastfeeding for various reasons - pain, MH etc

One even got told she needed to FF as the baby wasn't getting enough nutrition.

Would this have made a difference to the choices you made?

They'd be much better spending that money on more breast feeding consultants - the amazing one that helped me with my eldest had been lost to cuts by the time my second was born. Lots of women want to but hit problems - we need practical support, not lecturing.

Even if a woman's only reason for not breastfeeding is the worry she will get saggy breasts that is still a valid reason for her.
We have formula which is an adequate substitute for breastmilk, formula feeding is not neglect or abuse.

Last time I checked women do still have autonomy over their own bodies and if they wish to formula feed to try and prevent FURTHER changes to their body (often on top of stretch marks, mum tum, ripped vaginas and weight gain) then I don't think they should be bloody judged!

I assume there is some sort of research behind the approach that suggests it works? I don't love the concept but I'm all for promoting breastfeeding so I suppose if it works it's worth looking at.

Personally I think money needs to be spent on support and particularly in identifying and dealing with tongue tie which is becoming more and more prevalent and can cause massive issues. There is no funding for TT help at present.

My DS2 couldn't latch at all due to a severe posterior TT. I very nearly gave up bf but was in a position to get someone out privately which resolved the issue, not everyone can do that. I know of several people who had v difficult bf journeys and/or stopped bf earlier than they wanted to due to TT issues.

@AmIThough Is wasn't you who brought it up and bitched about it first. Back off with your RTFT

Seems like an awful idea to me, as it would just create further division. There will always be women who for whatever reason simply cannot breastfeed. I think what’s needed is to put that money into all round better postnatal support. Not just with breastfeeding but with the entire experience of having a baby. There are so many threads on here from women who are struggling with the lack of understanding from the medical community or local services with every issue under the sun. Breastfeeding, PND, prolapse etc.

My local area recently cut all funding for breastfeeding support groups. They’re running still but on good will and contributions and peer support is having to take the place of trained experts as we can’t afford them.

My midwife wasn’t supposed to see me after 4 weeks post birth. Luckily she’s also the tongue tie specialist in my area so we got follow up on that from her.

My health visitor is good at telling me I should breastfeed but low on practical help.

It took 8 weeks and a whole bunch of people doing extra to support me to make breastfeeding ok. How about we fund that instead of shopping vouchers?

Oh and let’s stop pretending to first time mums that breastfeeding is easy and pain free and a wonderful bonding experience. It’s just setting us up for failure.

Do we have th e lowest rates in the world? I'm not sure that's right

I heard about this. They said in the study it made women feel valued and compared it to getting paid to go to work!?

I don't think I agree with it in principle but it did work (in the trial) so obviously some mums aren't 'doing their best' if a small financial incentive is working.

I think it’s sad that it’s come to this, but I do think it’s a good idea.

However people fed, breast is best. And only 1% of UK babies are ebf at 6 months. That is such a sad statistic because babies deserve better. And if it takes shopping vouchers to encourage that then I’m all for it.

How will this be monitored?? Does someone come round daily to check your baby is latched to your boob and then hand you a voucher? Besides, if money was incentive more people would already do it, as formula, bottles, sterilisers etc. cost a lot of money. But to be honest, you kind of lost me ‘On Good Morning Britain’. They always discuss ‘controversial’ shit that is actually a non issue or barely a thing you would ever deal with or come across in real life... I prefer to have CBeebies on tbh.

@GemmeFatale totally agree it’s exactly the same here no funding atall. Well very little anyway. It makes me angry to hear there money to offer in vouchers but not money to pay the excellent support groups. Very early on I struggled with latch as my right nipple is slightly inverted a visit to them with 20 mins no issues

@PuffHuffle5 honestly ITV was just still on from last night when I turned the TV on and this happened to be the discussion at the time.
I watch Breakfast on BBC, honestly

@nuckyscarnation why would the NHS save millions? I breastfed myself myself but I do think most of the benefits are to poorer countries. What would BF do to save so much money?

'How will this be monitored?? Does someone come round daily to check your baby is latched to your boob and then hand you a voucher?'

Quite

I didn't BF by choice and TBH having food vouchers dangled as a carrot would have put me off even more

I don't know how you would (for want of a better word) police it?
However it may be a good incentive to try it for those who rule it out from day one?

It is a bit patronising but I don't think there's any harm it trying it.

The money should definitely go into breastfeeding support, and focus on helping women who do want to breastfeed to do that, not bribing women who don't. The only reason I managed to continue is that I could afford the cost of a consultant to come and spend hours with me. The very limited NHS support was too inaccessible in the circumstances. That's awful and unfair.

No idea if it will work or not but will certainly feed into the false narrative that there is a "Breastapo" persecuting formula feeding mothers.

I've seen it posted on MN that it's discriminatory to FF mothers that you can't earn Boots points on formula. So handing vouchers to BF mothers will tip those people over the edge.

@Scrumptiousbears Prioritising your looks over the needs of your child is fucking shameful. I completely sympathise with those who can't do it for physical/mental health reasons, but if it's just so your boobs still look good on Instagram then you're a shitty person. :)

My HV has told me about women who won’t even try to breastfeed because it will make their boobs saggy! Are they thinking about their children’s needs first

Breastfeeding ruined my boobs. If I had my time over I might not do it again. You have to live with your body for another 50 years. Nothing wrong with this as a reason

aliensprig far shittier to judge other people

More support is needed for new mums
I remember wanting to bf my first born
I knew what to do and how to do it on paper but throw a newborn in the mix of real life and I didn’t have a clue
It ended up with me sobbing my eyes out on day 2 (in hospital) and ringing the buzzer for help
What I got was a nurse appearing and shouting at me while manhandling my sore boob and forcing her mouth to latch on before telling me we where a lost cause as she stomped off again
I managed a month but only cos my mate had fed her girls and gave me a million tips on how to make life easier
I had no support from professionals at all
I did go on to feed 5 more babies but for no longer than 3 months each
I can still feel the failure and shame of not ‘knowing’ what to do
It’s not cash for mums that’s the answer-it’s pumping money to pay women to help new mums

Breastfeeding ruined my boobs.

Put the money saved on formula towards a boob job

@user1471462209
Yep the NHS would still save money- a significant amount.

www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/more-breastfeeding-would-save-nhs-millions/

The idea makes me quite angry, I stopped breastfeeding after one week due to DD health complications making it harder and lack of good support making it virtually impossible. If there's money for patronising shopping vouchers then there's money for better breastfeeding support which is far more valuable.