Refreshing talk today with HV's regarding BFing

[Kimmy25]

They sound lovely OP!.

I agree I think it should be equal information so an informed decision can be made

 

[AP]

I agree too. I'll never forget feeling like an utter tit in neonatal when I had to ask them how to sterilise bottles. For expressed breastmilk!! Not formula! I'd been using pre sterile from neonatal I hadn't the foggiest what to do otherwise.

And we've all read a couple of stories where someone's gone and used cows milk/toddler milk from a silly age....

Women need formula information. Not on brands but general sterilisation, and the importance of using infant milks rather than cows milk etc...

 

[Blah11]

people need to know how to sterilise anyway for dummys, breastpumps, bottles, weaning equipment etc However, i just read my sterilisers instructions

 

[amandad192]

I agree too. I'll never forget feeling like an utter tit in neonatal when I had to ask them how to sterilise bottles. For expressed breastmilk!! Not formula! I'd been using pre sterile from neonatal I hadn't the foggiest what to do otherwise.

And we've all read a couple of stories where someone's gone and used cows milk/toddler milk from a silly age....

Women need formula information. Not on brands but general sterilisation, and the importance of using infant milks rather than cows milk etc...

I think information on formula brands would also be useful. Which ones taste most like breastmilk for someone looking to switch from BF to FF or top up with formula.
Any nutrional difference should be pointed out.

I was (and still am) clueless about if nutritional values vary in formula...I just picked the brand I knew I had been fed, my sisters had been fed and my neice had been fed.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I agree too. I'll never forget feeling like an utter tit in neonatal when I had to ask them how to sterilise bottles. For expressed breastmilk!! Not formula! I'd been using pre sterile from neonatal I hadn't the foggiest what to do otherwise.

And we've all read a couple of stories where someone's gone and used cows milk/toddler milk from a silly age....

Women need formula information. Not on brands but general sterilisation, and the importance of using infant milks rather than cows milk etc...

I think information on formula brands would also be useful. Which ones taste most like breastmilk for someone looking to switch from BF to FF or top up with formula.
Any nutrional difference should be pointed out.

I was (and still am) clueless about if nutritional values vary in formula...I just picked the brand I knew I had been fed, my sisters had been fed and my neice had been fed.

So did I and lucky enough it agreed with both my kids.

 

[fairy1984]

people need to know how to sterilise anyway for dummys, breastpumps, bottles, weaning equipment etc However, i just read my sterilisers instructions

Breastfeeding doesnt come with a manual therefore you do need support, but sterilising instructions are not always clear and generally in that emotional time after birth its nice to be able to bounce things off someone i.e say to a health visitor "this is how i'm sterilising and making up bottles...is that right?" but by not having any info on formula openly given to women, they're made to feel like they cant/shouldnt ask the HV.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

people need to know how to sterilise anyway for dummys, breastpumps, bottles, weaning equipment etc However, i just read my sterilisers instructions

Yes you can read your instructions but what about how to postion a baby when you feed them ( yes some women honestly don't know this). Bottles that reduce the risk of colic, which formula is the 'best' one to start on, which forumla's cause more problems than others. There is a whole range of issues FF mothers face and part of a health visitors role is giving up to date information according to guidelines. Yes they must promote breastfeeding and they do have a responsibility to ensure breastfeeding is seen a the norm and to promote it. But it is about choice someone choose to FF or simply struggle with breastfeeding therefore they make a choice to FF. They should be supported in this as a huge part of a HV's roke is supporting parents to make decisions about their child. I think the goverments 'rules' on not giving out information on formula etc is stupid tbh. The NHS spend a lot of money trying to correct issues raisedf when mothers nakes mistakes with formula. Like putting to much/little formula in a bottle, starting babies on stage 2 milk because they havn't had advice and go on what family members say. Mothers need support with parenting and they shouldn't be alienated due to a choice. As the HV said it isn't informed choice anymore,the goverment go on about empowering patients to make choices about their lifestyle and the care they recieve. Yet they seem to be taking this away from mothers? I just think it is totally backwards. Promoting breastfeeding is great but excluding FF mothers is not

x
x

 

[summer rain]

I don't know how it is under different trusts but here we are given a leaflet on how to make up a bottle and not to store them etc. I got it at the same time as I got the bf stuff. It wasn't as info heavy as the bf stuff but I imagine its less complicated info.

Its the same where I live as well, all mums are given a leaflet/photocopy telling how to make up formula safely with their first baby and with subsequent babies they ask you if you want the leaflet, also the UNICEF baby friendly initiative doesn't disallow giving out information on how to make up formula safely if formula is required for medical reasons or even if the mother chooses to FF and needs that info-but I think some individual NHS trusts are misinterpreting guidelines and not making this information available at all, which isn't right but the NHS nor UNICEF (who are also often blamed for this) should be blamed. I think having a policy of only providing it if asked for is ok, surely if a mum chooses to FF from birth (or to switch later) and is happy with that decision she will want to ask the HCPs the best way of doing this and she could then be given the leaflets? xx

 

[summer rain]

We were given a leaflet, I don't see what else would be needed. What do people want, HCPs to say FF is equally good and give it equal 'airtime' in antenatal classes etc? I don't think that would be right at all, as it isn't equally good and to say anything else would not empower anyone or help them make an informed choice.

I agree, its obvious even from posts on here that many mums think formula milk is the same as breastmilk nowadays,and dare I say I've even read posts saying in most cases FF is nutritionally better due to misinformation regarding vitamins in BM, so that myth is still out there. Also FF can seem easier in the early days as BF babies do tend to feed more frequently, plus you can get cracked nipples etc but the benefits of BF and the longer-term ease outweigh this-if its made out formula is pretty much the same then no-one will see any reason to BF as FF will seem the best of both worlds. IMHO xx

 

[JASMAK]

I think that BF should be promoted in every way possible. I think the health nurses (as they are called here) should give the support you mentioned, which is great that they did that. They do that here too. I think that formula should NOT be promoted in any way. When I first got pregnant, I barely thought about BFing...I was just going to bottle feed. But, then I received so much information from the staff at the hospital, the health nurses, prenatal classes..I knew then it was the best thing for my baby. Would I have breastfed if formula was presented in the same manner??? I have my doubts. If a women chooses to FF, then yes, they should be given the proper information, but I don't think it should be equally presented to a women who may not have all the facts to make a proper decision, which is breast is always best. I hope that women can take back this wonderful ability we have and take control of what has become completely commercialized, and very sadly and sickenly, sexualized in many cultures. I find it very amazing that people can be all about home birth, or natural birth, and then without a thought, stick a bottle of formula in their babies mouth. I am not against it, don't get me wrong, I am just very FOR BFing too...and I do think it needs to be pushed since so many cultures have made a very natural thing so wrong.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I agree it does need to be promoted but mothers need support too. A lot of ladies i visted said the amount of 'promotion' they recieved put them off in the end because it was constantly pushed down their throats. No one is saying FF is equal to BF in nutritional value it isn't even close. But to make an informed decision you neeed to be presented with all the facts good and bad. (on both sides) otherwise it simply isn't an informed choice x

 

[Blah11]

TBH if someone decides not to BF out of spite cos they feel like its been 'rammed' down their throats then thats quite immature and they clearly didnt want to BF anyway.

 

[Laura2919]

I think its unfair to push formula feeding into the background. Its not just for parents who struggle its for parents who dont wish to breastfeed whatever their reasons may be, why should they be forced to only take advice about breastfeeding. Its a persons choice what they choose and I believe they should know all the facts about both.

Everyone who has ever carried a child knows about breastfeeding, its down to them whether they breastfeed or formula feed. Nobody whether you BF or FF should force their decision by ramming information down their throat.

I've always stuck by it and I will continue to is that breast is only best if it works for mother and baby and if mother is comfortable with the idea of breastfeeding then thats great but if she wants to Formula Feed who are we to say the information is not there. Whats so wrong with having your own mind?

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I agree some mothers don't actually want to breastfeed and that is a choice they have the right to make. Yes breastfeeding is natural and has amazing benefits but if a mother chooses not to bf that should be respected and supported by giving relevant information x

 

[Raven24]

My personal opinon is that breastfeeding should allways be promoted to the max and in my antenatal it was, we were not given any information on bottles or formula and i dont rally see the need tbh.
With my first i breastfed for a months or so and then expressed and i had to sterilse bottles etc and then he had formula. I just read the instructions on the boxes its not hard.
With my youngest i am still breastfeeding and i put the sucess of this down to myself and my own research while pregnant i watched videos read articles asked questions to ensure things would work out, i think it is our own personal responsibilty to seek out the info we need.

 

[Laura2919]

^ Actually when you have a premature baby its different so I do see the 'need' and I would never agree that FF shouldnt be promoted alongside BF, they promote BF and FF because bottles help a baby suck, the same with a dummy. Normally you would hear 'try not to give your baby a dummy' whereas in a NNU they are promoted. People think Formula and Dummies are not the right way but for me they helped me out a lot, thats why I stand by my decision to switch from breastmilk to formula even though my hand was slightly forced.
Its not just about the instructions on the tin its being totally informed about what your giving your baby, what is the difference between the different stages of formula, when its really ok to move onto another formula, how to change formula's if they dont agree with baby. There is more to it than just reading on the side of a tin.


And you can watch as many films and videos but that doesnt guarantee that BF is going to work for you

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

exactly what laura said there is much more needed to FF than people think. And it is a HV's responsibility to give parents the tools to make an informed decision x

 

[Laura2919]

exactly what laura said there is much more needed to FF than people think. And it is a HV's responsibility to give parents the tools to make an informed decision x

The thing is if a parent wants to FF and isnt properly informed then they could be feeding their baby wrong or doing something wrong and should that be ok just because they didnt BF? Some people are adamant they dont want to BF so I would rather they FF and did that properly than be forced into something they dont want to do.

 

[Raven24]

The thing is because the country is constantly tying to renforce that breast is best they need to make breastfeeding the norm and so way more info will be given on breastfeeding than ff, the ultimate goal will be that women dont even consider ff becaue breastfeeding is just the done thing and what is normal rather the way it is now that ff is seen as the norm, there is nothing wrong with formula my toddler is proof of that but it is not the food nature intended.
If breastfeeding doesnt work out you can ask for information i just dont think it should be discussed untill the need arises.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

But some women in the antenatal period already know that don't want to BF. BF may be the natural and it should be seen as normal. But even so some women simply don't want to and to make a decision in the antental period about BF or FF then they need all the information to make it an informed choice. It is about empowering patients not dictating what information they can and can not have x