Underhand tactics - formula companies

[MissBroody]

Wow!
Well I have a couple of thoughts on this topic, purely from a mum point of view
I have read posts on this that have made me range from to to and WTF!!

When I was pregnant with Emily *cough* 12 years ago I was asked what I wanted to do, I said bottles, They said fine and that was that, now that seems mental to me, My mum Bf'd but I never really asked her about it and she never pushed it on me. She used SMA later and that is what I used.

There was no advertising and follow on milk didn't really exist so much then but I just knew about formula, mainly from working with young children, so I guess that is what I felt comfortable with.
I also didn't even have a computer never mind t'internet
Oh and they used to do little tins as well, don't know if you can still get them.

Fast forward 7 years, again I was asked what I wanted to do and I didn't know, I'd discussed Bfing and expressing with OH.
I said this and they just told me to have a think, I though about it and still didn't have much info so went with what I knew which was bottles.
They accepted it and never mentioned feeding again.

I could have well been persuaded to BF, but had no guidance at all from health professionals.

I know the OP was about and advert but I thought I would give my tale about why I chose to do what I did, and TBH I will defend my descions to the hilt and my children are no worse off from being FF.
They are bright intelligent children who are never ill.

I never had an advert influencing me, and really if your mind can be changed so easily by an advert it does make me wonder......

We are bombarded by adverts all the time be it in magazines, on the telly or on the radio.
I don't get new windows every other week because the new one claims to be best, I don't buy cars willy nilly although there is a very attractive purple one being advertised at the minute

I just really don't get all the arms up in the air over a bloomin formula company advertising other services, turn the page, ignore it, If you are set on BFing a glossy mag is not gonna change your mind.

RAFwife got it spot on, it is clever marketing and in a way it has worked as we are all chatting about it.

But this FF v's BF is getting very old now

Seriously liquid feeds are such a small part of your child life, yes it is important for 6-12months whatever but so much more comes into play when you start proper food, oooh and if any of them watch T.V from 2yrs god help you as then the pester power and bombardment of adverts really do begin.

I was going to say this but feared the backlash of how important the first year is and so on, but seriously, when you look at the bigger picture does it matter what your baby ate for the first year of its life? Healthy food for the rest of their lives surely has more importance? When our babies are teenagers and adults are we really going to be obsessing about what they ate 13+ years ago. The BF vs FF debate is so old but rears its ugly head every once in a while and I think we all lose sight of whats most important - the health and happiness of our babies no matter what the source - breast or bottle.

Sorry but I really don't agree with this at all. The effects of being breastfed last much, much longer than the first year of life. It's a really vital decision and in my opinion it is incredibly important what my baby eats for the first year of their life.

I was bottle fed, my OH was breastfed. We are both healthy, intelligent adults. In fact, OH has a few health issues that I don't - asthma, hayfever... In the long-run, what we ate as babies has had no effect on us and not made a blind bit of difference to us as teens and adults. Yes breastmilk is best, we all know that, but as said - whatever milk we choose to give our babies for that first year is a teeny tiny piece of the bigger puzzle. I'd be concerned when the children are older, and you have someone feeding their child mcdonalds all the time, and another mum feeding her child only healthy food. Only then do I think its a major issue.

 

[cherryglitter]

Referring to the Aptamil baby club - when I got their booklets and things through, it wasn't really like I was reading a leaflet funded by a formula milk. Does that make sense?! It was just like any other leaflet. I never felt like it was advertising.

 

[smokey]

With regard to the advertising of formula...

So it is illegal to advertise formula for under 6 months old. Ok, fair enough. But are you seriously telling me that only parents of babies that are over 6 months old ever see the follow-on adverts?? I think the point I'm trying to make is just because these ads are promoting follow-on milk, clearly specifying for 6mths+, doesn't mean that expectant parents or parents of newborns aren't going to see it and consider FF from birth?

So if no-one seems to have a problem with follow-on ads, then I don't see the difference to if newborn formula was advertised??? Dunno, maybe I'm missing something??

Apologies if this post doesn't completely make sense!! I think there was more I wanted to post, but preggo brain has taken over and I can't remember what it was!!!

I'm not trying to be ignorant and ignore the first part of your post, it's just that I've already given my tuppenceworth in this thread regarding my views on formula companies 'advice' so I'd be repeating myself ad nauseum.

Probably a whole other debate, but the same health agencies and charities who pushed for the initial ban have also asked for this to be extended to follow on milks.

So is this for the purose of a complete hush up then as I dont understand how banning adverts for follow on will help with initial newborn bf problems

This paper pretty much covers their stance. I'd paraphrase but I'm suffering from post curry fatigue.
https://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/feedingreport.pdf

Im still waiting for my curry, dam im not whiping hubby enough

On a slightly OT is it just me or is that polar bear at the bottom of the page laughing at us and thinking "haha you havnt started on my sneaky advert yet"

I have one for startrite shoes. That polar bear doesn't DARE!!!!

You scared off the polar bear

 

[cherryglitter]

Now mines advertising 'baby sleep schedule' and baby food at Tesco.

I don't even like Tesco!

 

[MissBroody]

Referring to the Aptamil baby club - when I got their booklets and things through, it wasn't really like I was reading a leaflet funded by a formula milk. Does that make sense?! It was just like any other leaflet. I never felt like it was advertising.

I can't remember exactly which company it was, it may have been Aptamil, but it said on the inside ''Hi (my name)!!'' in printed text. Talk about going that extra bit to win me over lol. I didn't really take much notice of the leaflet though, I just wanted the free polar bear but the way it was addressed to me is a clever bit of advertising, they're trying to make it personal - Aptamil is my friend, we're on first name terms..

 

[cherryglitter]

Referring to the Aptamil baby club - when I got their booklets and things through, it wasn't really like I was reading a leaflet funded by a formula milk. Does that make sense?! It was just like any other leaflet. I never felt like it was advertising.

I can't remember exactly which company it was, it may have been Aptamil, but it said on the inside ''Hi (my name)!!'' in printed text. Talk about going that extra bit to win me over lol. I didn't really take much notice of the leaflet though, I just wanted the free polar bear but the way it was addressed to me is a clever bit of advertising, they're trying to make it personal - Aptamil is my friend, we're on first name terms..

Lol!! I must admit, I do use aptamil. But I made that choice aaaaages ago. Always said I would use it.

I wonder if it's because i've been told it's the closest i'll get to breastmilk!? Is that some sneaky advertising.. who knows!

 

[smokey]

I must say trumpetbum I have a lot of respect for you, you have given your side and backed up a debate with valid and very usefull papers and reasearch.
You have clearly researched somthing your are passionete about and not just gone on guns blazing like some some members iv seen in the past of " I dont dont like it, I know everything rant rant rant".
This is what a good, genuine, healthy debate should be about

 

[smokey]

Referring to the Aptamil baby club - when I got their booklets and things through, it wasn't really like I was reading a leaflet funded by a formula milk. Does that make sense?! It was just like any other leaflet. I never felt like it was advertising.

I can't remember exactly which company it was, it may have been Aptamil, but it said on the inside ''Hi (my name)!!'' in printed text. Talk about going that extra bit to win me over lol. I didn't really take much notice of the leaflet though, I just wanted the free polar bear but the way it was addressed to me is a clever bit of advertising, they're trying to make it personal - Aptamil is my friend, we're on first name terms..

I never even read the leaflet, it went straight in the bin and I sat down with Brian to play with his new polar bear, same with the cow I got from c&g

 

[Jo]

Good old Granny Jo with her wealth of knowledge and experience

Ya wippersnapper!

Wow!
Well I have a couple of thoughts on this topic, purely from a mum point of view
I have read posts on this that have made me range from to to and WTF!!

When I was pregnant with Emily *cough* 12 years ago I was asked what I wanted to do, I said bottles, They said fine and that was that, now that seems mental to me, My mum Bf'd but I never really asked her about it and she never pushed it on me. She used SMA later and that is what I used.

There was no advertising and follow on milk didn't really exist so much then but I just knew about formula, mainly from working with young children, so I guess that is what I felt comfortable with.
I also didn't even have a computer never mind t'internet
Oh and they used to do little tins as well, don't know if you can still get them.

Fast forward 7 years, again I was asked what I wanted to do and I didn't know, I'd discussed Bfing and expressing with OH.
I said this and they just told me to have a think, I though about it and still didn't have much info so went with what I knew which was bottles.
They accepted it and never mentioned feeding again.

I could have well been persuaded to BF, but had no guidance at all from health professionals.

I know the OP was about and advert but I thought I would give my tale about why I chose to do what I did, and TBH I will defend my descions to the hilt and my children are no worse off from being FF.
They are bright intelligent children who are never ill.

I never had an advert influencing me, and really if your mind can be changed so easily by an advert it does make me wonder......

We are bombarded by adverts all the time be it in magazines, on the telly or on the radio.
I don't get new windows every other week because the new one claims to be best, I don't buy cars willy nilly although there is a very attractive purple one being advertised at the minute

I just really don't get all the arms up in the air over a bloomin formula company advertising other services, turn the page, ignore it, If you are set on BFing a glossy mag is not gonna change your mind.

RAFwife got it spot on, it is clever marketing and in a way it has worked as we are all chatting about it.

But this FF v's BF is getting very old now

Seriously liquid feeds are such a small part of your child life, yes it is important for 6-12months whatever but so much more comes into play when you start proper food, oooh and if any of them watch T.V from 2yrs god help you as then the pester power and bombardment of adverts really do begin.

I was going to say this but feared the backlash of how important the first year is and so on, but seriously, when you look at the bigger picture does it matter what your baby ate for the first year of its life? Healthy food for the rest of their lives surely has more importance? When our babies are teenagers and adults are we really going to be obsessing about what they ate 13+ years ago. The BF vs FF debate is so old but rears its ugly head every once in a while and I think we all lose sight of whats most important - the health and happiness of our babies no matter what the source - breast or bottle.

Sorry but I really don't agree with this at all. The effects of being breastfed last much, much longer than the first year of life. It's a really vital decision and in my opinion it is incredibly important what my baby eats for the first year of their life.

I'm not too sure if it is me or Miss Broody who you wanted to quote

Just from my POV I do agree with you to some point, but for example BFing to give the best to your child in the first year of life, then letting them eat crappy stuff filled with salt sugar and additives surely wipes out all the good you did in the first place IYKWIM ( not saying any one does, just an example)
Me for example yeah I fed my children formula, not the best start according to WHO etc.... but everything they then ate was fresh home cooked 9/10. I knew what was in everything they ate.

So I gave them the best real food start in my eyes, and the affects of that will last a long time with the descions they make, not all ways of course as they are bright and can make their own decisons.

I personally do not think that BFing gives immunity to certain things, asthma etc.. as seems to be pushed a lot. I think it is all to do with if it runs in families, enviroment and real foods but as I say that is just my POV

 

[trumpetbum]

I must say trumpetbum I have a lot of respect for you, you have given your side and backed up a debate with valid and very usefull papers and reasearch.
You have clearly researched somthing your are passionete about and not just gone on guns blazing like some some members iv seen in the past of " I dont dont like it, I know everything rant rant rant".
This is what a good, genuine, healthy debate should be about

Thanks, it has been interesting. I appreciate the counter arguments.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

Hehe my advert is for aptamil baby club that says 'new mum or mum-to-be?' same thing.

With regards to aptamil, in my antenatal classes they said 'we are not allowed to give you advice on which formula to use but in the SCBU they use aptamil'

 

[bluebaby]

Hehe my advert is for aptamil baby club that says 'new mum or mum-to-be?' same thing.

With regards to aptamil, in my antenatal classes they said 'we are not allowed to give you advice on which formula to use but in the SCBU they use aptamil'

When I questioned my HV on the formula i was using (SMA) and said i was thinking of switching to Aptimal she said to me that Aptimal is what she would recommend although she was not supposed to say

 

[WW1]

Just to comment that I think there are other influences which go far beyond advertising when choosing formula.

For me, the first was what was available in hospital!! I'd planned to BF but my LO ended up in SCBU and was given formula through a feeding tube (long story for another day!). She was given SMA and so I kept with that.

When she became constipated on SMA (happened once I'd stopped combined feeding), I changed to aptimil - this was because several of my friends used it successfully. Personal recommendation was far more important to me than any adverts.

 

[smokey]

I had never even heard of aptimal until after LO was born.
I thought it was just sma and c&g as thats all id ever heard of.
My choice for using sma was because that was what the nurses in hospital gave me so I though might as well stick to it.

 

[bluebaby]

I had never even heard of aptimal until after LO was born.
I thought it was just sma and c&g as thats all id ever heard of.
My choice for using sma was because that was what the nurses in hospital gave me so I though might as well stick to it.

I was given a choice at the hospital of cow and gate or sma (I also hadn't heard of aptimal) I choose sma cause it's what my mum used with me.

It would have saved me alot of time and heartache watching Madelyn cry with wind while on sma if I was made aware of the different types of formula and made aware that different types of formula have different effects iykwim

 

[Jolinar]

Well obviously restricting ads, is doing nothing.

Especially when someone posts it on a forum and hundreds more get to see it that otherwise wouldn't have

 

[OmarsMum]

I had never even heard of aptimal until after LO was born.
I thought it was just sma and c&g as thats all id ever heard of.
My choice for using sma was because that was what the nurses in hospital gave me so I though might as well stick to it.

I've never heard of Aptamil before coming to this forum. Here the common formulas r either Nestle formulas (which r awful) or s26. When I went & checked, I found Aptamil, c&g SMA, enfamil, Semilac, Hipp organic, etc. But as Drs r not allowed to recomend formulas, I had no clue what to choose & changed formula 4 times until we settled with Aptamil at the end.

 

[lauram22]

Just to comment that I think there are other influences which go far beyond advertising when choosing formula.

For me, the first was what was available in hospital!! I'd planned to BF but my LO ended up in SCBU and was given formula through a feeding tube (long story for another day!). She was given SMA and so I kept with that.

When she became constipated on SMA (happened once I'd stopped combined feeding), I changed to aptimil - this was because several of my friends used it successfully. Personal recommendation was far more important to me than any adverts.

Exactly the same thing happened to me, my lo ended up in scbu with a feeding tube and until my milk came in lo was on formula in hospital, SMA which the scbu nurses chose. When I switched to completely ff, I asked my hv and friends for recommendations, I wasn't influenced by any adverts. The only one I remember is a toddler one with a huge sippy cup of milk but I don't even know what company it's for. I don't think I'd chose formula from an advert xx

 

[WW1]

Well obviously restricting ads, is doing nothing.

Especially when someone posts it on a forum and hundreds more get to see it that otherwise wouldn't have

 

[bluebaby]

I had never even heard of aptimal until after LO was born.
I thought it was just sma and c&g as thats all id ever heard of.
My choice for using sma was because that was what the nurses in hospital gave me so I though might as well stick to it.

I've never heard of Aptamil before coming to this forum. Here the common formulas r either Nestle formulas (which r awful) or s26. When I went & checked, I found Aptamil, c&g SMA, enfamil, Semilac, Hipp organic, etc. But as Drs r not allowed to recomend formulas, I had no clue what to choose & changed formula 4 times until we settled with Aptamil at the end.

This is why I think formula should be allowed to advertise. Not to say that 'formula is better' but to let you know what formula is out there when you have made the decision to formula feed. I had no clue which formula to choice .

Maybe this is why so many babies have colic, wind etc because formula mummies are not fully informed about different fomula's available