Get Mrs Cameron using cloth!

[indy and lara]

Now I get why everyone moans about the mums in this section

That is just unbelievably rude.

It is a fb page for goodness sake. Nothing more, nothing less and pretty easy to ignore.

 

[Blob]

I didn’t really look at the facebook group but i imagine that she's been sent SO much baby stuff by companies i very much doubt she will see it as much other than people wanting advertising. A woman in the public eye as much as she is going to be will be targeted by everyone, its up to her whether she decides to use cloth or whatever else she's sent. But who is to say she doesn’t already use cloth? Not everyone who uses it shouts about or gets totally carried away with all the pretty nappies

 

[littlestar]

true, we don't all shout about it but if someone asks about Q's nappies i need duck tape to shut me up!
(they started the conversation in the first place not me )

 

[Jo]

Serene123's comments have already been picked up by Admin, so can we now please leave that issue

I would also like to state again that nobody knows whether she is going to to use cloth or not, hey she might even be on here, who knows

Seriously what is the point of arguing/dabating something that we do not know and are not likely to know and TBH using cloth is not the be all and end all of enviromental issues, that is only something you do for 2 years max, it does help but there are lots more issues.

I know if I was her and I spotted a pressure group aimed at me, I would do the polar opposite, just to show I'll do what I like

 

[Rachel_C]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but why is everybody assuming that it's all MRS Cameron's decision? Last time I checked, when there's a mum and a dad having a baby, there are TWO parents involved in the decisions made for that child. So saying that it's not fair to suggest cloth to her because her husband is the PM is just daft really... isn't he going to be involved in decisions about his child? HE has said that he's into environmental issues, HE is presumably going to be more than a sperm donor, so there is nothing wrong in giving THEM the opportunity to see what cloth nappies are like.

If sending somebody some cloth nappies to try is wrong, are the Bounty packs wrong? It's all basically advertising a product or an idea.

Whatever the people on BnB say, there ARE most definitely millions of parents out there who think that cloth nappies are terries and plastic pants and nothing more. I've spoken to friends about using cloth and they've said "oh yes, I was really keen to try cloth but then my mum told me about wringing them out by hand and boiling them so I decided to use disposables instead". They were amazed to see Leyla's cloth nappies and have said that they wished they'd known earlier.

If somebody sent me ANYTHING for my baby, I would think it was nice even if they wanted me to buy something or make a particular decision. I've had some weird presents and some awful ones and some odd things in Bounty packs etc. Somebody gave me some of those bottles with cutesy characters on with an awful teat and I would never use them - it didn't force me to bottle feed and it didn't even make me consider using those daft bottles for my newborn (or at any age actually!).

I really think that the point of the campaign is that IF the PM and his wife are really into environmental issues, they might like to consider cloth and it's giving them some to try. Not everybody spends time on forums etc and if you think that cloth nappies are terries and pins, why would you search to see if you were wrong? I don't spend all day googling the things I think I know to check if I'm right! I can just imagine it now... "Dear Google, I've bought Leyla vests and sleepsuits as that's what I know babies wear... has something new been invented that I don't know about? What are the technological advances in baby clothes? Thanks Google!" As I see it, if they would possibly consider cloth nappies but are put off by what they think they're like, sending them some and encouraging them to use them is a nice thing to do, especially as so many people's perceptions are very wrong.

And one more thing... David Cameron has chosen to be in a public position where people will make suggestions to him all the time. He'll be discussing the economy, the welfare state, health care, the NHS etc. There are millions of pressure groups and campaigns about pretty much everything... if he wasn't able to stand up for himself and would be cowed by it all, he wouldn't be PM. As they are a couple, that goes for his wife too.

 

[suzanne108]

 

[special_kala]

who knew a silly FB group could have started this?!

I saw it and thought it was supposed to be lighthearted.

 

[lemily]

It must be difficult to be in a position like Mrs. Cameron. I remember the furore in the papers that the Blairs got as to whether Leo Blair had had his MMR or not. They stuck by their guns to not release this information to the press and I stick by their decision. It is none of our business! Same with berating MPs about their choice of schooling for their children. Many MPs get 'told off' for putting their children in private school - this is their choice. It might seem at odds if the minister for education pays for his/her child's education while waxing lyrical about the good state system, but it is their choice as parents to do whatever is best for their child and their situation.

Although I don't see anything sinister with the facebook group, or the offering of samples, I do think we shouldn't care what she chooses regardless of her position as the PMs wife. Do we demand they eat a vegetarian diet because that is better for the environment (According to a lot of people) or demand that she replace her car with an electric model, or take public transport? I really do believe it is none of our business as to what she chooses to clothe, diaper, feed, or send her children too. She is a parent just like every one of you, and I imagine you get fed up of justifying your choices to people (when faced with the naysayers in regards to co-sleeping, BLW etc). She should have the right to withold information about her choices, and should not have to explain herself.

As for promoting cloth - grassroots support is better than anything. Your babies already spread the word, and in a way that gives other parents information to make the best choice for them. Better to target HVs and NCT programs as promoters rather than a solitary 'celebrity' figure.