nct feeding response...is this true?

[stmarymead]

So, just back from my first NCT class... have to say it wasn't really my bag for various reasons, a good example being the teacher feeling 'compelled' to interrupt, when the group decided that fathers should help with night-time feeds, and saying "fathers won't be cut any slack at work when they're tired, and companies now are looking to get rid of people who are not up to par" so mothers should do the night-time feeds... of course my work-place has cut me huge slack for the last 8 months - HAHA!

But it was another comment that was the catalyst to my posting, we were asked to set out the questions we'd like answered during the course; breastfeeding was high on the list of the group, and I added that I would also like to understand more about bottle feeding...information to make my choice and all that. The response that came really shocked me and I would really like to know whether it is true. According to the teacher neither the NCT or NHS can tell parents how to bottle feed ...legally! Because if they teach how to bottle feed this could be construed as the promotion of bottle feeding which is apparently illegal. Is this really true??? Can only one method of feeding be taught at ante-natal classes? Surely this leaves a whole swathe of new parents without information which is crucial to them?

My experience with NCT classes was very different, our teacher was IMO fantastic. To be honest I don't really think that anyone needs to be taught to bottle feed as all the instructions are on the tins. But then I started off breastfeeding and by the time my two were on bottles I was fairly relaxed about the whole thing. I am sure it's different with a new born.

Our nct teacher was in favour of epidurals, and covered c-sections. She didn't teach us explicitly how to make bottles up, but did say it was a valid choice and completely up to us to decide.

It's not true - but it's a commonly believed myth, I think. Just like there are people who believe all sorts of myths about data protection / health and safety laws.

stmarymead, Studies show that teaching parents how to prepare bottle feeds in a group situation leads to poor recall and possible mistakes when the same parents come to prepare bottles for real, maybe months later.

For this good reason the NCT teachers are told not to teach bottle preparation in group situations.

As PP have stated the NCT have several good leaflets which your teacher should of passed onto you or a link to where you can find this information.

The teacher is correct that the best way of learning this information is a one to one teaching session preferably near to/after your due date and if possible IN the actual kitchen you will be using to make bottles.

Broadly speaking she is accurate but she didn't clearly explain why she had the restrictions she had IYSWIM. NCT support all mothers and their feeding choices but have to ensure that mistakes in bottle preparation are minimized for everyone's sake.

If you search for a poster Tiktok on Mumsnet, she works as a NCT BFC and has explained what I have posted many times over on the boards and in better detail, if you want to know all the ins and outs.

Forgot to add, I would ask your community midwife to see if they offer one to one teaching of bottle preparation if you really think you need this level of support ?

Someone asked in my NCT breastfeeding session about formula feeding and if the teacher could talk to us about mixed feeding and she refused, saying that she wasn't allowed to talk about it as it wasn't NCT policy. She was being assessed by another teacher at the time so we assumed that this was why. Luckily the main teacher was a recently qualified midwife who gave a lot of very balanced information about c sections, induction etc.

The nct don't sell bottles or breast pumps for hygiene reasons.
It's to do with transference of bodily fluids I believe.

But they're more than happy to sell 2nd hand reusable nappies so it doesn't make sense really.

I was a member for a year but found my local group populated by snobby middle class women who all thought their way was the only way.

They reduced one woman to tears when she decided to give up struggling to bf and go onto ff.
It was for the health of the baby who was becoming more ill by the day due to lack of nutrition.
I was so disturbed by their cult-like views that I left.

When it came to crunch time - ie my dd had gone grey and floppy through lack of food, my community midwives were fabulous, helping me sort out sterilising and getting to grips with powder.

I'll never forget a maternity assistant after giving me a 1:1 breastfeeding lesson patting me on the knee and saying that if it didn't work out then it wasn't the end of the world. The support is there from mws etc if you need/ask for it

The NCT teacher in question may have some communication issues here but she correct in that she is not allowed to demonstrate how to make up a forumla feed in a group setting. NHS midwives and maternity assistants are also not supposed to do this. As stated, it is aganist the UNICEF baby friendly initiative.

The NCT does produce a leaflet on formula feeding and the teacher should be able to give you information on the subject in email or leaflet form on request. Refusal, in my opinion, would be unreasonable.

There is a tendency for us to hear what we are expecting to hear sometimes and not what is actually said.

I was amazed to hear recently that our local women's hospital have stopped having formula available. When I had dd 15 months ago, they couldn't get enough of the stuff. They were pushing formula left right and centre! I was trying to bf but gave into formula from all the mw's and hca's pushing it.

I really did feel there needed to be a major rethink there about FF/BF but not allowing women to make a choice at all or offer advice on bottle preparation is crazy.

Not demonstrating bottle preparation is one thing and in line with UNICEF. There is understandable logic.

Refusing to discuss or answer questions about bottle feeding or mixed feeding is a totally different thing. There is more to formula feeding than making up a bottle. What about feeding patterns, responsiveness to the baby, hunger cues etc? What questions do parents actually ask that are so controversial?

Also, as others have said, if parents ask for info on how to make up a bottle, then this should be given in the form of a leaflet or 1-2-1 discussion. they could also be signposted to their midwife. I don't recall anything in UNICEF that says this info cannot be given if specifically requested, just that the demo of how to make p a bottle should not be done in group antenatal classes and that all formula feeding parents should be offered this demo postnatally.

Why do people find UNICEF so hard to understand ?

My experience of NCT was really VERY different from this! We had a lot of coverage of c-sections, pain relief etc (as well as lots of useful exercises, positions etc which could help you avoid them) and although there was a (IMO good) focus on bf there was certainly no "FF is the work of the devil" propaganda!

Our teacher was also VERY pro getting fathers involved from day 1 and strongly suggested that if BFing then the dad's contribution should be to get baby into bed and wind/change afterwards. Talked a lot about how important it was for dads to bond and support the mums as well because looking after a newborn was really tough. I found it all very helpful and felt that we got a lot of really practical, useful advice.

It wouldn't have been particularly helpful to practice making up an actual bottle in my classes tbh, I was perfectly capable of reading the instructions on the side of the tin when the time came.

Obviously there are always going to be some NCT teachers who are better than others, it sounds like you just got a bad 'un. Don't tar them all with the same brush!

total bollocks all round - contact the NCT direct, please. I am on our local NCT branch and I can tell you now that the NCT is about education and choice - the whole point is to provide parents to be with the most accurate and up to date information regarding birth AND feeding choices. The approach of our NCT course leader is one of absolute respect and the ability to nuture mothers to feel confident about their choices, whatever those choices might be.

This link might also be useful - I got it off the main NCT website btw :)

www.nhs.uk/Planners/birthtofive/Pages/bottle-feeding.aspx

It's absolutely pathetic and clearly a woeful misinterpretation of the baby-friendly initiative.