Gov. payments for mums who breastfeed 12mth+

[Jellybean29]

Hello, what would you think if the government provided a financial incentive to breastfeed beyond 12 months?
Would it mean you could go back to work less days and therefore continue breastfeeding longer?
Even if you're a SAHM, would it still encourage you to breastfeed longer?
Would it be unfair to FF?
Would it make long term breastfeeding more socially acceptable in Aus.?

Since long term breastfeeding has so many health and cognitive benefits, it could be argued that encouraging long term breastfeeding as a nation, would save money on public health costs related to obesity and sickness/disease in children.

Any thoughts? Wondering what sort of a response I get, if its a positive one I was thinking of writing a letter to an MP.

[Tinks]

How would you police it? I could say I BF for 12 mths even if I didn't and get the money.

[Jellybean29]

How would you police it? I could say I BF for 12 mths even if I didn't and get the money.

Well isn't it easy to tell the difference between lactating boobies and non-lactating ones? You'd probably need a medical certificate, just like if you were on the disability pension.

[entreat]

Well isn't it easy to tell the difference between lactating boobies and non-lactating ones?

As much as I would LOVE to be paid for something I was doing for free anyway, I'm not inclined to squirt my boob-juice for a government employee.

And the money could be better spent on useful things like milk-banks, to cater for people that would LOVE to BF but can't for genuine reasons.

[jackrose]

Well isn't it easy to tell the difference between lactating boobies and non-lactating ones?

Not necessarily at the 12 month end of breast feeding. Early on, maybe but with both my DDs, by about 10 months my breasts were back to normal in shape and appearance, if not a little softer than before.

At the year mark, breast milk production has become such an efficient and baby matched system that I only produced the milk that was in demand. I honestly never feel engorged - even if my baby skips a feed. I could not prove I was breast feeding at this point in time except to actually breast feed in front of someone. Even then it would not be guaranteed as my engaged, interested, curious 12 month old is pretty keen to check things out going on around her rather than have a feed unless she is in her calm, usual breast feeding place at home or just starving hungry.

Interesting discussion though.

Kiwimummy, I love the sound of the media campaign in NZ. The use of images and real life examples is a great way to change attitudes. It seems that the overuse of images of breasts in the media as a sexual statement has won out and made that normal, time for a bit of balance maybe.

[Me+him+bub]

i was unable to BF past 6 weeks due to terrible bleeding nipples and mastitis I would so much prefer be able to access a milk bank and would even be better if it was free! perhaps thats also an idea to write a letter about as opposed to a payment.

[LionsandBears]

Personally, I'd see it as another form of throwing money away on welfare.

I think any such money would be better served going to public education campaigns or investing in public health programs aimed at improving BF levels, including training MCHN, hospital staff, etc. I think these services are especially needed in indigenous communities, for example.

Handouts dont work.

ETA: Milk banks would be a great investment.

[DANNIIM]

Totally agree money needs to be spent on education and advertising... hmmmm wonder why we never see a tv campaign!? I also live in northern WA (mining town) with a large proportion of indigenous people and they generally have very high rates of breastfeeding, it would be to complicated for them to have a baby on formula... they live a simple life especially out on the communites. I quite often see mums breastfeeding in public places in and around town.

[Lenny]

Oh, it wouldn't work hun. I know you are trying to be positive, but you are right - it would be unfair to many many people. Adoptive mums who couldn't bf, SAHDads, mums who had to take lifesaving medication that aren't bf friendly etc.

There aren't and never will be Gvt based financial incentives to bf.
We need to create a society that can see and appreciate the benefits of breastfeeding (and some of the sacrifices that bfers make) without the govts help!

[PumpkinZulu]

How would you police it? I could say I BF for 12 mths even if I didn't and get the money.

That. I think it sounds nice in theory, but there is no way to police it really that I can think of, without crossing some sort of weird Orwellian line, itms. I don't see the idea as being that different to the immunisation allowance, in the way that if you do what the govt says, they'll pay you, but non- or partial vaccers miss out (I think partial vaccers miss out? Dunno?). It would suck if you couldn't breastfeed though, I'd imagine that would just add to a lot of feelings of guilt and low self worth that sone FF'ers struggle with. On the other hand though, it could possibly encourage women who may have considered FFing by choice to consider BFing instead, which isn't a bad thing. I agree with Tash, I think the $$ would be better spent on education on BFing, milk banks etc.

[Just Me]

I think to make it fair and equitable, the payments would have to be offered to women who can't breastfeed for medical reasons - like the immunisation bonus is given to women who sign the conscientious objector form for immunisations. Since it would probably just require a doctor's discretion and some GPs seem to understand very little about breastfeeding I think it would defeat the purpose before it even started if you know what I mean.

I think funding might be better directed into educating GPs about breastfeeding and how to encourage women to keep going. Most of them are ill informed and I think lots of women stop breastfeeding because they think they can trust their GPs and are given wrong advice about breastfeeding. I also think funding could be directed into better anti discrimination campaigns around breastfeeding - letting people know that it is illegal to ask a woman to stop breastfeeding and promoting the idea that it is normal and natural. Investing in workplaces to make them more breastfeeding friendly would also help lots of women out. Women return to work for a variety of reasons and for many it is not just about the money so making work places more BFing friendly would encourage it further.

I do think the gov't needs to take a better interested in BFing since the health benefits are huge but there are lots of reasons women stop breastfeeding. I think most women intend to breastfeed and want to do it so a monetary incentive probably wouldn't do much. I think women feel unsupported or are misinformed and I think investing money into making it easier, more acceptable and seen as the normal way to feed a baby would go a lot further.

I also think it would be a double up of payments - women already receive the baby bonus/maternity leave payments for having a baby and I think to give cash incentives for bfing would just be paying for more of the same. I also don't know how I feel about gov't imposing choice on people by offering cash to do certain things. While I agree with bfing, I don't agree with bribing people to do it. I think that building inner values in society about bfing would be more effective in sustaining it.

I hope my answer made sense, it feels a bit all over the place

[HotI]

If there was a payment, how much would it be? What amount do you think would persuade people who choose to FF to BF for 12 months? What amount would 'compensate' a woman who exclusively breastfed their child?

[Just Me]

I was also thinking further to my post about spending money to put value on bfing in society ... values are passed down from one generation to the next. If we invest in valuing breastfeeding by setting up things that make it easier for mums to breastfeed, our children see those values and adopt them. The value once it is adopted in society is then normal and a part of life and doesn't need to be pushed. It's out there and people regard it is normal. There is a flip side to this though with incentives. If we show our kids that we need money and incentives in order to adopt a practice, all we are doing is teaching them the value that we don't do anything unless we are given an incentive for it. It is not adopted as a value because we are paid for it. It is adopted as something that a third party is pushing onto us and imposing on us. We don't own breastfeeding as a value but we are sending messages about values we don't necessarily want to promote.

[LionsandBears]

An extension of the values argument is my bugbear about the welfare mentality. Sorry if this is going OT. I disagree with the government handing out cash for things, like the $900 credit crunch payment, or the baby bonus for example. Their job is to provide services to the community whose taxes provides their income. It is traditionally a much better use of money to invest in infrastructure or edcucation or health etc than to hand Joe and Jane cash. If they need cash, they can earn it. Provide them with services that everyone can use and benefit from and not only do you get more value for money, you reduce the welfare/handout mentality in society.

I completely agree with increasing BF awareness, making it easier for families, providing milk banks etc. I just think the method needs to be through funding rather than welfare cheques.

It's like that old saying, provide a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; teach him how to fish, he'll eat forever.

[LizLemon]

An extension of the values argument is my bugbear about the welfare mentality. Sorry if this is going OT. I disagree with the government handing out cash for things, like the $900 credit crunch payment, or the baby bonus for example. Their job is to provide services to the community whose taxes provides their income. It is traditionally a much better use of money to invest in infrastructure or edcucation or health etc than to hand Joe and Jane cash. If they need cash, they can earn it. Provide them with services that everyone can use and benefit from and not only do you get more value for money, you reduce the welfare/handout mentality in society.

I completely agree with increasing BF awareness, making it easier for families, providing milk banks etc. I just think the method needs to be through funding rather than welfare cheques.

It's like that old saying, provide a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; teach him how to fish, he'll eat forever.

ah bugger just typed a whole response and then pressed the wrong button and lost it. I agree with pretty much everything Tashybabe said.

[helle]

I was also thinking further to my post about spending money to put value on bfing in society ... values are passed down from one generation to the next. If we invest in valuing breastfeeding by setting up things that make it easier for mums to breastfeed, our children see those values and adopt them. The value once it is adopted in society is then normal and a part of life and doesn't need to be pushed. It's out there and people regard it is normal. There is a flip side to this though with incentives. If we show our kids that we need money and incentives in order to adopt a practice, all we are doing is teaching them the value that we don't do anything unless we are given an incentive for it. It is not adopted as a value because we are paid for it. It is adopted as something that a third party is pushing onto us and imposing on us. We don't own breastfeeding as a value but we are sending messages about values we don't necessarily want to promote.

Thats what I wanted to say. I don't think I'd take it, even tho I'd be eligible. Breastfeeding is something that is important to me and I think it'd make me feel cheap if I was being "paid" to breastfeeed my children. I think the money would be better put toward LC's, and facilities that are easy to get access to, to help with BFing. I looked into becoming in LC. It. Is. Hard. and where I am there are 0 training groups to support you.
Not to mention mothers who can't BF, adoptive parents, same sex parents... I have heard of woman who have been subject to sexual abuse who just can't fathom BF and having a baby in their personal space...

[Jellybean29]

At least we all seem to agree that more support, education and social awareness/acceptance is needed for breastfeeding and also a need for support and options for those who can't, like milk banks and wet nurses.

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[Jellybean29]

Btw BBB, I think it's good you've raised the question. Just because I disagree with the methodology to a solution doesnt mean I disagree that there's a problem. I thought I clarify in case you thought I was jumping down your throat or something

No no hun its all good
My aim was just some discussion on what we can do to increase breastfeeding and long term breastfeeding in aus. Getting some fabulous responses and ideas, this is great ! I just thought my thread title and opening idea would grab attention... But aim was for a discussion about bfing and society in general

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