MSE Parents Club Part 12

got-it-spend-it

Anyone seen the Mother and Baby article furore http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/uk/breast%20versus%20bottle%20the%20debate%20reignited/3694277. I think it's a pretty inflammatory article whichever side of the feeding fence you sit on, but it reeks of a publicity stunt to me......

My_Fathers_Daughter

Hi Amanda - how old and what have you tried to help her?


Off to bed in a sec...just need to check what MIL ironed while she was here

SugarSpun

Hi Amanda - how old's your little one? Most headaches are caused by dehydration, has it been hot near you and has she had enough to drink?

GISI I've been watching this with interest. On the one hand, she's free to make her own choices, but on the other I think it's irresponsible to call breastfeeding "creepy" when so few mothers in the UK do it; it's hardly encouraging them to think positively about it. But then again if her aim was to sell magazines and generate publicity she's done really well.

Also, calling breasts "funbags" is just revolting IMO.

Krystaltips

SugarSpun wrote: »

Also, calling breasts "funbags" is just revolting IMO.

When they're so obviously "dirty pillows"

MadDogWoman_2

I've just read the article, it just make me that there is such a division over how a baby is fed. It's why when talking to other mums I never ask the question about how baby is fed.

SugarSpun

Krystaltips wrote: »

When they're so obviously "dirty pillows"

:rotfl:

I find it bizarre that she seemed not to be able to accept that body parts can have dual purpose - breasts can be for babies and for lovers - and yet she apparently made a baby with a man who used his penis to leave his donation in there and presumably went off for a wee afterwards *shrug*

Edit: and:

But even the convenience and supposed health benefits of breast milk couldn't induce me to stick my nipple in a bawling baby's mouth.

Very irresponsible to use the word "supposed"; I think that's enough to turn the article into something dangerous. The health benefits are far more than supposed. I'm all for women's right to choose how to feed their babies, I made a choice that works for me and others did the same with a different outcome. But if you're in a position to give information then it has to be correct.

Krystaltips

Well I think you hit the nail on the head with the publicity generation and magazine selling... There's always an awfull lot of bad publicity mixed in with the positive stuff during and around the time of national breastfeeding awareness week...

It's pretty shoddy IMO... At the end of the day babies need to be fed and women need support to feed them in the way they choose to after they've been educated on their options... Publishing articles vindicating women for their own wierd feelings on the matter are unneccessary and unhelpfull...

CAFCGirl

Evening all

Im on the late eveing stay up with Landen so DH can get some kip. He let me sleep for 4 hours last night before I woke myself up wondering why Landen hadnt woken me LOL only to discover the pair of them were asleep downstairs..... so I figured tonight I would return the favour. Plan is to wait for Landen to wake for his next feed, and then put him down upstairs after that and go to bed myself.....

Madwife came round today and was happy with us so she's given us over to HV who is coming over on wednesday. Was surprised the HV called within an hour of madwife leaving to introduce herself, say congratulations and arrange visit (and check pronounciation of Landen's name which I thought was sweet).

We've then registered him at the dr's, and then had our appointment to register his birth as well. We popped into council offices to update our housing benefit. Weirdly we lose housing benefit allowance, not much £2, but then we were only getting £22 a fortnight help anyway!
From what I could work out its because when we apply for child benefit, child tax credit and working tax credit it bumps our income up so much we go over a threshold for housing benefit.
All in all though we apparently end up £133 a week better off with all the credits etc..... so thats going to help us hugely.....

Was just wondering though if anyone knew much about the healthy start vouchers? I'm trying to work out if we would be able to claim for them.....

SugarSpun

Indeed. It's hard enough to make a decision as to how you'll feed your baby and get used to feeding/routines/demand/sterilising/pumping/discreetly nursing in public without misinformation, and a lack of unhysterical, neutral-toned information does nobody any good. I feel for women who try to nurse and aren't able to, but I don't look down on women who just don't think it's for them either -- I just think the choice should be available, without prejudice, to all women.

Fitzio

Whilst it is certainly not my view, I do know people who think like that. I had spoken to people at work about BFing prior to having Holly, as I had intended to BF if possible, and a few people screwed their nose up and said that they just don’t like the thought of it etc. These were a couple of people who have children and a couple who don’t yet. If that’s how they feel, that’s how they feel, and they are entitled to feel that way.

I think that the lady in the article is entitled to her views and I don’t think she should have to watch was she says in case she offends people who breastfeed and put women off etc. We all know from the debates on here that there is a widely held view that BFing is pushed too much these days and that only the positives are talked about whilst FFing is slightly swept under the carpet. However, I agree that due to the controversial and provocative wording that she uses, it looks like she really is doing it for publicity which I do find irresponsible for a parenting magazine.


CAFC - sorry, don't know anything at all about Healthy Start Vouchers. Hopefully someone else can help. And take any extra sleep you can whilst it's available!