Mumsnet undermining breastfeeding again.

[Redebs]

Just read the Mumsnet article on caring for newborn babies. It's sponsored by a bottle manufacturer.

Much of it is misinformation that will seriously interfere with mothers' success with breastfeeding. For example trying to get a feeding routine for a two month old baby. This is totally against normal practice for on demand breastfeeding.

Anyone aiming for regular naps will be seriously frustrated and will think there is something wrong with them and their baby. Night feeding is treated as if it's a massive burden that should be shared by using a bottle.The massively negative impact of inaccurate information and expectations is aimed at discouraging breastfeeding.

There's a 'helpful' link to another article on 'combination feeding' aka introducing formula, along with references to a whole lot of bottle feeding products you should buy.

The WHO condemns companies that use misinformation and pressure on mothers not to breastfeed. While it may be subtly disguised, that is exactly what articles like this are doing.

And for money.

But it's not fair. On one side there are companies worth millions of pounds whose purpose is to persuade women to use formula/bottles because that's how they make money.
Breastfeeding doesn't generate money (although of course there are some opportunities to sell stuff to breastfeeding mothers a lot of which is unnecessary)

I suggest the book The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle Palmer. I don't agree with everything she says but it's eye opening.

Even if that’s the case (I don’t think it gives women any credit for their choices mind!) then fine. Your kids are getting ‘the best’ so that’s all that matters right. Why do you care what others do with their kids on such a minor level eg it’s not child abuse? Then I’d understand the need to highlight and interfere.

Fair to who?

Surely we only need to worry about what’s fair to mothers and babies? And the NHS and other official/reputable sources have a far reach as well - websites, social media, posters in every waiting room up and down the land. We’re just asking for quality, impartial and fair advice for all feeding methods. I can’t see what the problem is with that.

I was responding to another poster. But as you raise it, I’ve read a TON of the research into breastfeeding. Not just read the spiel from the NHS, swallowed it whole and regurgitated it. Actually read the underlyingstudies.

The vast majority of the studies which show a benefit from breastfeeding show negligible effect sizes. Where there appears to be an advantage, very often it’s for minor or transient issues. But to be frank, all that’s somewhat by the by, as there are NO randomised controlled trials on breastfeeding benefits. None. The research is really not of a good quality, to a level that it would not be relied upon in any other sphere of medicine or health.

Breastfeeding is the biological norm, but it’s not a very efficient one, given the fact so many women and babies struggle to crack it and historically, before safe formula was developed, there were such high rates of infant morbidity and mortality.

The safety and effectiveness of formula is not in doubt. It’s a literal lifesaver in many cases and a boon in many more. It’s been used for decades. Not sure where you’ve been living that you haven’t noticed that. It’s a very valid choice.

Exactly! It was a lifesaver to me and bf was horrific and negatively impacted me and first born in every single way and longer term 18 years in I only see negatives compared to his ff sibling if anything. Ultimately though if someone wants bf crack on but why do these nut jobs go so crazy about those who don’t want to. It’s so unkind- Leave them alone

Breastfeeding is the biological norm, but it’s not a very efficient one, given the fact so many women and babies struggle to crack it and historically, before safe formula was developed, there were such high rates of infant morbidity and mortality.

I'd challenge this slightly.

There are many reasons why previous generations had higher maternal and infant deaths. Lack of sanitation, lack of or poorly trained medical professionals, lack of regulation of midwifery, infection, disease, lack of health care in general, unsafe artificial feeding etc all contributed to the maternal and infant deaths. Wet nursing both paid for and not paid for were also available before formula and quite widely used. You also have babies born today that would never have been conceived, gone to term or born alive in previous generations.

It's not as simple as saying lack of safe formula meant babies died.

The nestle scandal came to light because doctors were seeing malnutrition in infants in a population where they hadn't seen it before. They'd seen babies die of other stuff but not malnutrition.

Just to be really clear - better health care overall, regulation and training of professionals and sick babies living are all great things. Very pleased we live in this age and country. I'm very happy that a 29 week premie born today has a good chance of survival and that safe formula is available to support that.

Great and also it’s ok for formula to be a choice for whoever else wants to use It too-as is bf:) Yey npw we are all friends 💪🏼😂

I'm in favour of choice. I never said otherwise. Ultimately individual woman have the choice to try to breastfed or not.

However there is a strong public health argument backed by science that in general women should be supported to breastfeed because it's better for the health of the population. That doesn't mean I think everyone must do it - there's loads of reasons why individuals don't breastfeed.

I don't see how advertising helps regardless.

They are very supported don’t worry:) let’s just support everyone. Great! Nice ending to a very long thread 💙😃👏🏻

Thank you for your response.

Some of the abuse thrown at posters who are positive about breastfeeding is quite shocking and incomprehensible. I hope those who have experienced it on here aren't upset by how nasty it was. I was saddened by seeing genuine and caring posters getting bullied for thoughtful and accurate posts.

Thank you for looking again at the article. Can I suggest in future that any advice on feeding babies avoids discouraging, inaccurate or unhelpful statements about breastfeeding? Even subtle, implied negativity can be enough to put off a mum struggling to establish a supply. Talk about letting other family members give a bottle or introducing formula as 'combined feeding' for example are potentially damaging, as are claims that babies need to have routines. Babies don't need to 'move on' to bottle feeding and keeping a tin of formula handy 'just in case' is really undermining.

Advice on bottle feeding could be under a separate heading, without comparisons such as 'if breastfeeding isn't for you' or implying that it's normal to replace breastfeeding.

Nothing abnormal at all about formula feeding if ‘breastfeeding isn’t for you’ . Great you tried, sorry it didn’t work out for you, now here have sone formula. The alternative is the baby starves you see.

And babies absolutely do need routines! Mine slept 8-8 from 4 months old on formula!

Well done, for having 1 baby that slept 12 hours. It’s also not a newborn, is it?

DD1 woke every 1-3 hours, breastfed, for about 6 months, then 8 hours per night solid

DD2 slept for 12 hours per night from around 17 weeks. Formula.

DD3 woke every 1-2 hours for the first 12 months of her life and didn’t sleep through a solid 8 hours until she was 3. Also mostly formula fed.

I can't be the only person ever who found having a tub of formula in the cupboard actually helped me with breastfeeding? I found it took the pressure off as I knew there was another option close at hand if baby needed it. For me, that helped me relax and establish breastfeeding.

I gave that unopened tub of formula away, several months later. (And then had another baby, so now I have another unopened tub of formula to give away!)

Sending you love you’ll get through it and they become your best friends in the end x

When I say mine I meant my 2 boys x

Exactly I thought it was such great advise for new mums well done on a balanced great article showing both options mums net x

Thanks, everyone for your feedback and for taking the time to give such detailed responses. We've edited the newborn routines page now based on what you've told us. Please let us know if you've got any further comments or questions.

I think it’s a definite improvement mumsnet! Thanks for listening to us :)

An improvement, but I think there's a typo in one of the mumsnetter comments but. It says they should be on a schedule when I think it means to say shouldn't.

Thank you for listening.

Breastfeeding babies on average will feed every two to four hours.

^ during the newborn weeks cluster feeding to establish supply means a breastfeeding baby might be on and off the boob every few minutes, for hours. So I don't think this is helpful or accurate.