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.

I had my DD 15 years ago so things were different then.

I nearly asked for my NCT money back as it was so utterly useless at preparing me for motherhood.

The NHS antenatal sessions were much better showing me how to make a bottle.

I am very middle class and I was very informed, but I wanted to know what my options were. As it was DD wouldn't latch on and I pumped for 2 weeks then went to formula.

Mothers should get information on every way possible to nourish their babies.

@Moonicorn if mothers have good quality information that isn't sponsored by bottle or formula manufacturers - that's great. Crack on make your choice.

If the only information they have is biased, not evidence based, and aimed at making them think natural newborn behaviour is wrong ... not so great.

But the only people who seem to be ‘tearing strips off each other’ on this thread is people belittling those who say they needed help and support with formula feeding, those who say that information for both sides is good

@Twizbe thank you!

This is very ignorant.

Not sabotaged. Being able to make an informed decision for themselves. And your experience is different to a lot of others where midwives and others push breastfeeding on women who simply don’t want to, or who don’t or won’t provide the same level of support to them as they’ve targets to reach. I’ve seen first hand the damage a lactation specialist caused to a new mum struggling with BF with her “oh just persevere” attitude. Now I know most BF mum’s would have had a more positive experience than that but let’s not pretend it’s one way traffic and that only BF mums are judged or shamed.

Also, these kind of articles this is about, if I was determined to EBF I just wouldn’t bother reading them.

Where do you think women get their information from currently? Given advertising newborn formula is illegal? And why shouldn’t bottle makers advertise I wanted to know which bottle did what for my expressed breast milk.

This is just abortion all over again. If you cared about children’s health, and supporting people who wanted to breastfeed, you would either be focussed on the much bigger issues facing children’s health or doing something useful like promoting breastfeeding charities and sources of information.

But you’re not - you just want to remove the choice you disagree with, by restricting information and making sure it comes from your ‘approved source’.

Given formula feeding is perfectly safe this is an absolute non issue and none of your business.

I don't agree with that statement either.

Women do need evidenced based information on bottle feeding too. The big thing that is missing is why you need hot water to make it. Formula tins don't include that quite important information.

What support do people need in order to make up a bottle? Seriously?

Actually due to changing guidelines then there is a lot of,out dated advice on making up formula and how to use/store both formula milk and breast milk, when using a bottle.

Support is often needed for women who find themes unable to breast fed. It's often not readily available due to the 'breast is best' campaigns and nhs support can be near on impossible in some areas. Wetherby that is formula feeding or pumping and using a bottle.

Whilst ideally everyone should be able to breast feed if they want to, this isn't always possible. those mums shouldn't be left feeling like failures - so support is also needed there.

I wouldn't judge any mother for how she feeds her baby. Fed is best!

I fed my baby expressed breast milk in a bottle for the first 4 months, then combination fed for a month, then switched to formula.

The judgement I got for feeding my baby breastmilk in a bottle was disgusting. I wasn't able to feed them directly, as confirmed by medical professionals and a breastfeeding consultant who came to my house. My baby couldn't latch due to their very small size. I had the worst of both worlds, hooked up to a machine for 30 minutes every 2 hours to keep up the supply, cleaning and sterilising bottles and pump parts. It would have been easier to either breastfeed or formula feed, not a weird combination of both.

Having said that, I'm proud of my choices and happy to have done it. We all love our babies and do what's best for them. Everyone else can fuck off frankly. You do you and nevermind what other people choose to do with their bodies

Well said!

@Moonicorn lovely way to twist my words

How do you know I'm not working with supporting breastfeeding mothers - you don't, huge assumption there.

I don't care what choice a woman makes. I care that her vulnerability as a new mother isn't being exploited.

What support do people need in order to make up a bottle

I mean what support do you need to stick a boob in a baby’s mouth? Both questions sound equally as silly and uninformed.

When I decided to switch to bottle after 8 months of breastfeeding I wanted to know:

1. How long can a freshly made bottle last before making up a new one?
2. Can they be rapidly cooled safely, and if so, how?
3. In hot weather or if the baby is constipated can I add extra water?
4. How many ounces should they be taking a day? When to worry it’s too much or not enough?

I mean they’re just a few off the top of my head. Breastfeeding was easy by comparison, technically speaking.

This is utterly disgraceful. Don't you dare compare anyone on here to a police force that used tortured and murdered people!

Do you know how inappropriate that language is?

But I'm not talking about those who decide not to breastfeed. I'm talking about those who want to breastfeed but give up because they are given poor quality support and nonsense advice that makes successful breastfeeding LESS likely.

Because unless you disclose something I can’t assume you’re doing it can I?

And, yeah right. Do you care just as much that
vulnerable mums have ended up in MH crisis or with a dehydrated baby in hospital because the ‘breast is best’ crowd compelled them to keep going until they were at breaking point? It’s surprisingly common, just read the threads on here.

Of course you don’t - because they’re ‘making the choice you want to see’.

I saw the title and wondered how many posts it would take for the predictable and depressing BF v FF argument that always crops up on here.

Reality is that there are numerous factors that influence how parents feed their babies, the approach in this country is screwed up as we have this very odd reality where the majority formula feed yet feel many (wrongly) feel shame about it. Discussions on BFing and discussing the benefits are shut down as people get upset, but similarly as soon as FFing is brought up there'll be all sorts of negatives mentioned even when the question wasn't asking this.

Breast is best for babies, but it's not always the best choice for families- and that's fine, it provides everything your baby needs. Both practical support and information are lacking for both BFing and FFIng which doesn't help anyone.

@Moonicorn for the millionth time, I don't care what choice a woman makes.

I care about women not receiving the support or information they need to make that choice or to achieve their feeding goals.

I care about massive corporations preying on women to make even more money. Those companies couldn't give a shit about babies. They aren't making formula out of the goodness of their hearts.

I agree OP, there is a need for clear and accurate information for new parents. Formula companies have no place to do that (yes even when it comes to advice on formula feeding) as their main goal is to market their products.

Laws on advertising formula need to be stronger as currently they are failing women. Mums providing formula do not deserved to be shamed or made to feel like they've failed their child and mums breastfeeding do not deserve inaccurate and inappropriate advice which further pushes us into a society where breastfeeding isn't the norm.

The term demand feeding is very outdated ...its responsive feeding .....I would expect somebody as obviously well read as you to know this.....apparently not 🙄

Formula companies have no place to do that (yes even when it comes to advice on formula feeding) as their main goal is to market their products.

I agree that formula companies aren't the best people to do the baby feeding advice. Neither are private companies/groups that solely promote breastfeeding.

The advice should be freely and readily available regarding all forms of feeding a baby from the NHS or other approved health authorities. They should be able to give impartial advice, stating proved stats and up to date information, about all forms of feeding, listen to what a mum is telling them, monitor a baby's progress and support mums in the choice they decide for themself and their baby. Unfortunately, unless things have changed since the last mums I know we'll have had theirs, the NHS, etc weren't able to do this. It was very much one sided.

Can you honestly not see what's wrong with using that term?