thread: Make Breastfeeding Compulsory for 6 mths? WDYT?

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  1. #1
    BellyBelly Member

    Jan 2008
    In beautiful chaos!
    2,335

    ok...well this is horrible no wonder women develop PND because of all this YOU MUST BREASTFEED nonsense...yes it probably is best but they wouldnt sell formula in the supermarkets if it wasnt at least half decent.....what bout my grandparents and great grandparents cows milk strait from the bucket and clearly that was okay for them because im here today.........so i must be part of this 1% group because i COULDNT breastfeed to the point the midwife shoved a bottle of FORMULA in DS's mouth sooo quick because he was going yellow and losing too much weight....i dont want to keep going coz its just going round an round in circles and my DS is fine from a day 3 ff baby.....good luck to those who can BF for a long period!!!
    They also make cigarettes and sell those.....

    IM NOT SAYING FORMULA IS AS BAD AS SMOKES!!!!!!

    Im just saying 'companies' dont have our best interest at heart

    In the end there's a lot more to parenting then having kids. As parents its our duty to make imformed choices. So what ever it is I hope the mothers/fathers are informed

    Back to topic: sorry

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Jan 2009
    pakenham, victoria
    3,660

    Im just saying 'companies' dont have our best interest at heart
    :
    Kass (im not attacking u i promise, u know i love ya!) 90% of the formulas on the shelves are owned by big brand companies, there is little choice, i understand your passionate but formula is not poison!
    Hun u are incredibly lucky that breastfeeding has come easy to u and your girls and you've been able to maintain it for long periods which is absolutely awesome, but unfortunately for some mums its not that easy, and it hurts them to not be able to give their babies what nature intended, be gentle on them, u dont know how they feel. they arent bad ppl for using formula

  3. #3
    BellyBelly Member

    Jan 2008
    In beautiful chaos!
    2,335

    My experience with DD1 was hard because of the dumb, uneducated il's. I was 19 yrs old and unsure of myself let alone my mothering. But I was sure I was doing the right thing, no matter what they said. They honestly put me through hell! But I pushed forward and dd1 and I are better for it.

    Im not against formula. It was created for a reason. But I am and always will be against people that dont try or who dont respect bf.
    I dont agree with the 'choice' of ff. A mother that CANT bf for what ever reason is not choosing, kwim. So if you CANT is different to WONT, and sits there denying the beauty of bf. Those have denied it to me are those making themselves feel guilty. I accept people feeding their child formula, as long as its for a reason, not 'just coz'.

    ps, stop pickign on me Im not good with words and I get all flusted hahaha
    Last edited by Kazmar; August 4th, 2010 at 02:10 PM.

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Add boobaloo on Facebook

    May 2006
    Brisbane, Australia
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    Im not against formula. It was created for a reason. But I am and always will be against people that dont try or who dont respect bf.
    I dont agree with the 'choice' of ff. A mother that CANT bf for what ever reason is not choosing, kwim. So if you CANT is different to WONT, and sits there denying the beauty of bf. Those have denied it to me are those making themselves feel guilty. I accept people feeding their child formula, as long as its for a reason, not 'just coz'.
    are you also against people who choose c/s over a natural birth? or people that use ivf instead of natural conception? dummy instead of thumb?

    none of us have the right to 'be against' people for making decisions that we wouldn't choose for ourselves and our families. that's the beauty of freedom of choice.
    it's comments like these that created the term 'breastfeeding nazis'.

  5. #5
    BellyBelly Member

    Jan 2008
    In beautiful chaos!
    2,335

    Im against people that makes such MASSIVE choices without even looking into it, yes.
    Im not against c/s etc but again I just hope the mother is fully informed before making that choice.

    Im a breastfeeding nazi, yes!

    BG-
    I have stated I understand in many circumstances its not up to the mother, its her body, mind or baby that wont comply.

    Thanks for not hammering but discussing what you dont agree with me, its actually helps me learn things, not just get all mad and stop discussing

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    In my own private paradise
    15,272

    but how does it personally impact you? how do you KNOW that they are ill-informed? why does it even need justification?

    no one is forcing anyone that is able to and WANTS to BF to FF - and there should be no force the other way.

  7. #7
    BellyBelly Member

    Jan 2008
    In beautiful chaos!
    2,335

    but how does it personally impact you? how do you KNOW that they are ill-informed? why does it even need justification?

    no one is forcing anyone that is able to and WANTS to BF to FF - and there should be no force the other way.
    Im coming from a place where I went through so much with dd1 that I did soooooo much digging around to 'justify' to il's WHY im bf, that it turned me, a little angry that I wasn't ever told all this while pg.

    Again I get some cant for what ever reason.

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Add Little Chicken on Facebook

    Mar 2010
    Melbourne
    1,855

    Im against people that makes such MASSIVE choices without even looking into it, yes.
    Im not against c/s etc but again I just hope the mother is fully informed before making that choice.

    Im a breastfeeding nazi, yes!

    BG-
    I have stated I understand in many circumstances its not up to the mother, its her body, mind or baby that wont comply.

    Thanks for not hammering but discussing what you dont agree with me, its actually helps me learn things, not just get all mad and stop discussing

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    summer street
    2,708

    Um...mods, can you close this thread now...people are getting hurt.

  10. #10
    BellyBelly Member

    Jan 2008
    In beautiful chaos!
    2,335

    Yeah I said it, but I took it in a different way, So I dont think I needed to be quoted here......

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    In my own private paradise
    15,272

    But I am and always will be against people that dont try or who dont respect bf.
    another not picking i promise!!

    there are reasons some people don't attempt to breast feed, and it's not always because they don't want to. previous bad experiences, sexual abuse etc - they just KNOW it's not right for them. they are not, as said in a post on a previous page (can't remember who said it), ill-informed. they are making decisions for them and what will work for them

    i personally know of people who have pushed themselves to BF because it is the "right" thing to do. they have successfully carried out the act of BF, and yes, their child has had the physical nourishment. but those same women have been traumatised by it. have been unable to bond - hell, they resent those babies. they have nourished but not nurtured their children. the long term impacts of that are yet to be seen, but i think the POTENTIAL is there for mental health problems for those children going into teenage years and adulthood - in the same way that there is the POTENTIAL for there to be health implications from ABM. at what point does six months of physical nourishment at the breast trump (potentially) years of a relationship that isn't "ideal" because of failure to bond with a child while forcing oneself to BF??? at what point does that six months of BM stop having more of positive long term "community" wellbeing impact than the mental health of mother/child/family?

    personally, i don't see it as any of my business as to how others nourish their children. i don't see a breastfeeding mother as a superior being. i don't see a FF mother as inferior or ill informed. i see MOTHERS caring for their children. we are ALL just mothers doing what we can to help our children

    i am the first to offer support to someone wanting to BF (and wasn't afraid to ask when needed myself) - but if that same someone says to me "it's not working for me" or even "i don't want to do this" i will support their desire to FF and support that choice all the way.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Rural NSW
    6,975

    Hmmm... I just think that if we could discuss the issue in terms of what the original post made reference to we would be on safer ground. The super model or who ever she is was talking about the government getting involved by making BF compulsory. So let's talk MACRO instead of MICRO. I know it's much more interesting to talk about ourselves than government policy LOL but that is what the thread is about... surely we all agree that when you are talking about the direction a population should go is different to the paths we are on individually?

    Gee... i want to grow up to be a hermit artist who lives in some secluded cottage up some mountain and lives on weeds and seriously considers having the electricity disconnected but who the hell cares? I can still stand on my soap box and make a strong argument for living harmoniously in a high density city with superfast internet bandwidth and good quality chocolate from Belgium for all!

    Please don't look at me so blankly LOL

    Ok what i am saying is that yes we all have our own battles and focuses but lets look at this topic objectively... not so subjectively... maybe? Just for fun? No?

    What the model said is clearly crazy... but is there a "why" that doesn't hinge the whole argument on a single perspective?
    Last edited by Bathsheba; August 4th, 2010 at 02:38 PM.

  13. #13
    BellyBelly Member

    Jan 2008
    In beautiful chaos!
    2,335

    Hmmm... I just think that if we could discuss the issue in terms of what the original post made reference to we would be on safer ground. The super model or who ever she is was talking about the government getting involved by making BF compulsory. So let's talk MACRO instead of MICRO. I know it's much more interesting to talk about ourselves than government policy LOL but that is what the thread is about... surely we all agree that when you are talking about the direction a population should go is different to the paths we are on individually?

    Gee... i want to grow up to be a hermit artist who lives in some secluded cottage up some mountain and lives on weeds and seriously considers having the electricity disconnected but who the hell cares? I can still stand on my soap box and make a strong argument for living harmoniously in a high density city with superfast internet bandwidth and good quality chocolate from Belgium for all!

    Please don't look at me so blankly LOL

    Ok what i am saying is that yes we all have our own battles but lets look at this topic objectively... not so subjectively... maybe? Just for fun? No?

    What the model said is clearly crazy... but is there a "why" that doesn't hinge the whole argument on a single perspective?
    Got it

    I think she just trying to prove how desperate we are get back to basics with bf I dont think we need to bring in the big guns yet, just more help and education on it

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Sydney
    7,896

    I don't think breastFEEDING should be compulsory for six months, but perhaps we should make breastMILK compulsory for six months.

    Let me explain:

    I totally get that some mothers can't or don't want to breastfeed their child. We do need to address some society attitudes and support offered to new mothers, but let's put that to one side.

    Why can't breastmilk be made readily available to those mothers that aren't breastfeeding themselves? Why can't a mother go to the chemist (and their well-stocked fridge - in my world) and buy homogenised pastuerised human milk instead of cows milk for their babies? Why can't we place the same value on providing human milk to all babies, not just those whose mothers personally breastfeed?

    I understand why that hasn't happened. But if we're going to throw around suggestions like giving mothers no choice about breastfeeding, why can't we suggest that instead we make a human milk product readily available and let them still have the option of choice.

    Better outcome for babies and no deprivation of civil rights.

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    6,706

    When it comes to treating formula like a medication so it's only available in chemists... Well, we don't have 24 hour chemists around here.

    But, just like I balance never running out of my own medications (and there are many) I have never run out of my son's formula. I will also add that the majority of times I buy formula I buy it from the chemist because it's cheaper! $23 in the chemist, $28 in coles. Doesn't take a genius to do the maths there!

    I don't necessarily agree with it only being available on prescription though - simply because our doctors are so overworked at the moment and this step would certainly increase workload and make it necessary for them to see a lot of otherwise healthy mothers and babies when their time could be better used attending to those who are sick.

    Over the counter sales in chemists... hmmm... I'm annoyed enough at having to now get panadeine over the counter and to justify why I need it every single time! And yes, I probably do go through more painkillers than I do formula! I can certainly see an argument for going that way - but perhaps only for the stage one formulas and not the over 6 months ones?

    BW

  16. #16
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Rural NSW
    6,975

    Yep, i agree BW... my thinking is a work in progress but i don't think formula needs to be by prescription only (although like a previous poster said that could mean a huge rebate through the Pharmaceuticals benefits scheme... ie the stuff won't cost so much!) becasue yes, doctors are overworked enough as it is. That is also a good suggestion for chemist sales for baby formulas though, especially stage 1. That's when parents could do with some advice and extra information. I still think infant formula should be government regulated like other medicines eg insulin... take away the need to market different formulas seem better and worse according to some emotion-based advertisement. There should be formula variations for children with allergies/intolerances etc... but essentially every formula should be the same and not marketed as slightly different for profit.... "oooh this one is in a gold tin so it's probaly better" etc. Think of the millions spent on advertising that really needs to be churned back into research... like it's done with any other medicine.

  17. #17
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Rural NSW
    6,975

    I am assuming Dedicated Mummy is speaking on the same hypothetical political platform as I am? What you would say to a friend and what you want to say to a policy maker (polititian) is quite different... BB is public speaking... maybe we should all assume that we hope to address things in the same way as we would if we had the attention of the powers that be? Yes we should be tactful... but surely we should be able to say things as we see it (and yes, large multi-national companies DO often put profits before ethics).

    Is this meant to be a gentle one-to-one chat with a friend or this is a place for us to say what needs to be changed according to the government policies that dictate our lives? It seems that a lot of tension is occuring because some people want BB to be a cosy chat between friends and others want it to be a platform for their bigger, hate to say it but: political, ideas. If you want both in the same place you're gonna get hurt feelings and conflict. The original post alluded to an idea that is political... compulsory Bfing... I reckon we should go with that and keep the discussion non-personal. just my vote.
    Last edited by Bathsheba; August 4th, 2010 at 02:07 PM.

  18. #18
    BellyBelly Member

    Jan 2008
    In beautiful chaos!
    2,335

    I am assuming Dedicated Mummy is speaking on the same hypothetical political platform as I am? What you would say to a friend and what you want to say to a policy maker (polititian) is quite different... BB is public speaking... maybe we should all assume that we hope to address things in the same way as we would if we had the attention of the powers that be? Yes we should be tactful... but surely we should be able to say things as we see it (and yes, large multi-national companies DO often put profits before ethics).

    Is this meant to be a gentle one-to-one chat with a friend or this is a place for us to say what needs to be changed according to the government policies that dictate our lives? It seems that a lot of tension is occuring because some people want BB to be a cosy chat between friends and others want it to be a platform for their bigger, hate to say it but: political, ideas.
    See, good with words. Me, not so much hahahaha

    Well I do think we're way off topic BUT I thinks it's a healthy convo still? FF VS BF always ends up mummas trying to justify their choices. Im not wanting anyone to feel this way