Save the Children asking for warning labels on formula tin

[weejenb]

As the title suggests, children's charity Save the Childeen is looking for cigarette style warning labels to cover up to a third of a tin of formula, warning parents that breast is best:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/...telling-mothers-breast-best-says-charity.html

What a horrible idea! Some women struggle to breastfeed, and there's nothing wrong with giving a baby formula. Big warning labels on formula tins would only give parents guilt/feelings of upset, and could end up being really confusing, terrible idea.

 

[socitycourty]

here in the USA there are NOT the same risks associated with FF as there are in third world countries.......

it says on the can i have that breast is best. even though it's the same print as everything else i hate reading it when i mix formula i never wanted to mix in the first place.

 

[onetwothreebp]

that is so offensive. not everybody can or wants to breast feed and there is NOTHING wrong with that.

 

[socitycourty]

there are issues with FF in other countries mostly lack of clean water, also they dilute the formula too much in order to stretch it out, etc.

 

[staralfur]

Perhaps a good idea in countries without access to clean water, but elsewhere it seems unnecessary and abrasive.

 

[Bellybump89]

I want to punch this article in the face
I wanted to breastfeed SO bad. I tried SO hard. Gave up and then realactated and still couldn't breastfeed. I feel like shit everytime I make a bottle. A warning label would just send me into overdrive. My daughter is fed, happy & healthy. Breastfed or not.
End of story

 

[onetwothreebp]

EXACTLY. i understand for those countries but for other countries like the US, that is just unacceptable and really offensive.

 

[AngelofTroy]

This makes me want to cry

I struggled desperately when we were advised to give formula as Micah failed to gain weight. I was utterly miserable trying to feed every second of every day, he was hungry and miserable, I was feeding him, then pumping all hours of the day and night, taking meds to increase my supply. My stress over feeding him and my desperation not to 'poison' him with formula (how I had been made to feel about ff by healthcare professionals during pregnancy) was affecting our bonding, it was destroying my relationship with OH and it was driving me insane! Since starting to give formula on top of the breast feeds, he's been a happier, healthier little boy, and yet I've felt guilty.. I feel judged when I buy formula, seeing the signs denying me loyalty points in case, god forbid, anyone was encouraged to buy it, I read article after article about why breast is best, and it destroyed me. I honestly think labels like those would have pushed me over the edge. I realised when I introduced formula and his whole demeanor improved that I had been leaving my poor baby starving, if I'm honest mostly because I was scared of being judged rather than for his health.

 

[Liz0828]

I want to punch this article in the face
I wanted to breastfeed SO bad. I tried SO hard. Gave up and then realactated and still couldn't breastfeed. I feel like shit everytime I make a bottle. A warning label would just send me into overdrive. My daughter is fed, happy & healthy. Breastfed or not.
End of story

I agree 100%. I wanted to breastfeed SOOOOOOO bad, and I tried and tried, took the medications to produce more milk, and was still unable to produce enough milk to satisfy the needs of my son, he was losing weight and was never satisfied. I HAVE to FF and as much as I hate it, indeed I do it in order for my son to be healthy, yet I still feel like crying sometimes when doing up his bottles, and when I FF him in public I feel ashamed that I am not breast feeding. If they were to put those massive labels on the formula tubsi don't think I would feel very good about it. I think I would feel even more embarrassed then I do already when buying formula.

 

[BabyBoyLove12]

I want to punch this article in the face
I wanted to breastfeed SO bad. I tried SO hard. Gave up and then realactated and still couldn't breastfeed. I feel like shit everytime I make a bottle. A warning label would just send me into overdrive. My daughter is fed, happy & healthy. Breastfed or not.
End of story

Agreed. Due to lactation issues I had to exclusively pump. Once he was 4 months I was only pumping 3oz a day, and made the hard decision to quit. It was hard enough on me to do that and to see that on formula would absolutely kill me.

 

[onetwothreebp]

i suffered from extreme pnd when my son was born, i really didn't like him and i was so anxious to get my body back to myself. so i never breast fed and i don't regret it. my son and i had trouble bonding as it was, breast feeding would have been horrible for us.

 

[readytotry]

Did anyone actually read the article?

It is to stop babies in developing countries from dying. They are not saying ff is dangerous in the UK, just that uk formula might be exported to countries where FORMULA USE IS ESTIMATED TO KILL 830,000 BABIES A YEAR.

Save the children isn't an "evangelical" breastfeeding organisation. Its concern is saving children's lives.

 

[staralfur]

Ah I missed the part where it said the tins from the UK may be sent to developing countries. Makes a bit more sense now.

 

[Irish Eyes]

Surely for the sake of possibly saving so many lives, people could accept a message like that on their formula tin? I don't see what the problem is, it already states on there that breast is best

 

[cupcake23]

I really wouldn't read the daily mail, they are awful at reporting and twisting words. A big report has come out about underhanded tactics from formula companies in developing world, it's amazing it's still going on.

We are lucky that if we choose to formula feed we can do it in a safe/ hygienic environment. Unfortunely new mums are given free samples, lose the ability to breastfeed and babies die from this.

This is from the report

'Labels: Product labels must clearly state the superiority of breastfeeding, the need for the advice of a health worker and a warning about health hazards, and be written in the local language. No pictures of infants, or other pictures or text idealising the use of infant formula'

I don't know how anyone can be offended with this. I'm sure this is already on formula tins?

 

[Moodyblue85]

In the UK, we already know that "breast is best" because we have it completely rammed down our throats by antenatal classes, midwives and health visitors. This is all well and good, but they made it look and sound so easy. I was NOT prepared for the problems I had with breastfeeding.

A survey by the antenatal class provider asked me "were you ever shown how to make up a bottle of formula?" I said "no" and she said "good, we don't encourage that".

I lost my rag. I wish somebody had given me more information about formula feeding as I nearly half starved my daughter without realising, as I felt so strongly that I MUST breastfeed and not "poison" her. But then I was left scrabbling around mothercare looking for bottles, formula and sterilising equipment with a very newborn baby. It was awful.

Huge warning on the tin is HORRIBLE, as other mothers posted above, we all feel guilty enough and only FF because it was better for our babies and us in the end.

If it is just the colostrum, as the article states, they could change the message to "colostrum is the most important feed your baby can have", Or provide extra leaflets regarding the state of their water, etc. Perhaps they could put stickers on the lids of the tins bound for poorer countries, or improve their antenatal care education.

I do not agree with the new labelling, formula feeding mothers feel crappy enough as it is. There are other ways for the poorer countries to get the message.

Oh and as if a few measley Tesco club card points "encourage" me to buy formula...pah! It is so expensive, a tiny point incentive would not entice me to give formula if I was able to breastfeed...silly, silly!

 

[kirst76]

I want to punch this article in the face

I laughed heartily at this statement....my feelings exactly!

 

[readytotry]

I'd feel guiltier about the fact that babies were dying because I might be upset by one extra label.
It's not JUST about colostrum btw. It's about formula made with dirty water. It's about mothers being given formula samples, their milk drying up, then they cannot afford (enough) formula so they make it up too weak to stretch it out an babies starve. It's about mothers unable to afford food for older children because they are spending their limited income on baby formula. It's about formula being marketed as medicine and formula companies sponsoring health care professionals.

 

[cupcake23]

This is on the SMA website, I believe it's also on the tins.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Breastfeeding is best for babies. Good maternal nutrition is important for the preparation and maintenance of breastfeeding. Introducing partial bottle-feeding may have a negative effect on breastfeeding and reversing a decision not to breastfeed is difficult. You should always seek the advice of a doctor, midwife, health visitor, public health nurse, dietitian or pharmacist on the need for and proper method of use of infant milks and on all matters of infant feeding. Social and financial implications should be considered when selecting a method of infant feeding. Infant milk should always be prepared and used as directed. Inappropriate foods or feeding methods, or improper use of infant formula, may present a health hazard.

I think it's the daily mail causing a huge debate one there really isn't one.

 

[Moodyblue85]

I'd feel guiltier about the fact that babies were dying because I might be upset by one extra label.
It's not JUST about colostrum btw. It's about formula made with dirty water. It's about mothers being given formula samples, their milk drying up, then they cannot afford (enough) formula so they make it up too weak to stretch it out an babies starve. It's about mothers unable to afford food for older children because they are spending their limited income on baby formula. It's about formula being marketed as medicine and formula companies sponsoring health care professionals.

The proposed new labelling will not make a shred of difference then.

Better education will. A lot more needs to be done.