Aptamil and Cow & Gate I've been conned

dizziblonde

sunshine_shell wrote: »

Skintchick i had 8 midwives and 2 neonatel nurse try and help me and my daughter breastfed and it wouldn't work for us. Comments like yours 'because pretty much everyone can breastfeed' make me feel even more crap!

Just ignore it - it's used endlessly to beat women up and make them feel guilty, or make the other side feel smug about things (and quite why we needed umpteen posts on breastfeeding on a thread specifically about formula ALWAYS makes me angry - !!!!!! leave us lost causes alone for a while). As for relactation - a long and hard process being suggested as a solution to formula shortages... more than anything else - it's not going to solve the issue of the fact you've got 3/4 of a tub left and everywhere's out of stock - because of the time taken to do it alone... let alone the fact that I think it's blooming unpleasant and vicious to use the formula supply issue to try to renew breastfeeding guilt onto women.

If you're wanting a supportive environment and to hear of other women for whom it didn't work out - without them necessarily falling into the "approved" 2% whom we'll actually believe about not being able to breastfeed... have a look at the Fearless Formula Feeder site - there's a section on there of stories from women who've had various sets of circumstances leading them to the choices they've made and it just shows how grossly oversimplistic that 2% figure is.

End of the day - no one is asked on their UCAS form what age they crawled at, how they were weaned or if they were breastfed - it's a short term thing where you have to tread the tightrope of the infant feeding wars - 6 months and starting to wean comes along all too fast (and it's a blooming relief when you hit the age you can whip a banana out for a hungry kid rather than worrying if you're going to get comments and attitude for a bottle or boob).

Kayalana99

I was going to post when I saw it but I CBA with the arguements. You really shouldn't feel bad. I moved to forumla about 6 weeks in not because I couldn't breast feed but supply issues and my HV, midwife and mother (also a midwife) said I did the right thing.

It was lovely to see my baby finally happy with his feed and really content for the first time. :-)

I don't regret it at all.

Spendless

Thank you for posting about this. it's interesting reading as even though my youngest is 10, even when I had eldest 13 years ago we were sold that 'Aptimil is better' and a whole load more expensive in the shops though interestingly in those days you could buy formula cheaper from clinics and it was about 1/3 of the retail price there. My eldest was on c & G but didn't get on with it, jsut as well I didn't change him to Aptimil then. I'd have had the same problems.

bargainhunter82

OMG - i cannot believe this! i did not know this, now my 2 kids have grown out of powdered milk i cannot do anything about this except cry over the years of extra money wasted

loubylou35

How difficult for you all who are looking for the milk that is unavailable, I get how frustrating that must be.

I would like to clarify that the reason formula milk (and it is always first milks that are not discounted, or even advertised follow on milks can be.) are never on offer or qualify for points is beacuse it helps protects women. ALL women, now this thread is a prime example of how misleading these companies can be, if they were allowed to advertise thier ealy milks, imagine what wild claims they would attach to the adverts and marketing for them?

The claims are all attached to follow on milks, and are scientifically very loose. All formula milks must adhere to leagla guidlines to make sure they are nutritionally balanced and suitable. none more than another, but some more sensitive babies take to one more than another. Most can swap happily. I have a booklet from the Royal college of Midwives showing the ingredients of all the milks and how common most of the 'main' ingredients are. (they legally have to be) but I cannot find it online.

Sunshine, I am so sorry you had that experience and I am sorry you still feel bad about it. I am also sorry you feel that comments on this thread have offeneded you.

dizziblonde

Wow thank you (and on an old thread as well) - it's already been clarified about five times on this thread by the gallant lactivists rushing in to remind us of the right and true path! Did you register specifically to come and educate and inform us poor formula feeders?

With the comfort milk thing - we used to use carobel by cow and gate to thicken - and that IS available over the counter but you might have to ask for it (I know our local chemist always used to struggle as they had to manually find the price for it)... not that we're on that now since she's been diagnosed with allergy issues causing the reflux.