That new SMA understanding parents TV ad - what a crock

[sinbadsailor]

Just hoping to provoke some discussion on the baby feeding subject, just because I state I don't have any scientific fact to back something up, doesn't mean that I made it up? Sometimes the condascending attitude doesn't help much ClubMan.

 

[ubiquitous]

I would go as far to say that any mother that doesn't breastfeed, barring medical grounds, is not putting her childs needs first.

That's a very sweeping statement to make. One problem with breastfeeding (according to my other half, a mother of 2 kids) is that it is difficult to know how much or how little milk a baby is consuming while feeding from the breast. In comparison when a baby feeds from a bottle, it is usually quite easy to monitor the volume that they consume.

She believes that it is possible (based on the experiences of some of her own peers) that some breastfed children end up underfed.

 

[ubiquitous]

Just hoping to provoke some discussion on the baby feeding subject ...

If I had known that the purpose of your earlier statement was simply to stir up a row, frankly I wouldn't have bothered replying.

 

[michaelm]

. . why do breast fed babies have to have an injection of vitamin K?

AFAIK all newborns in Ireland, breastfed or not, get a once-off vitamin K injection; my five did anyway when each landed in the Coombe (each about 40 weeks after my wife 'fell' pregnant ). The ad that irritates me is the one about 'Progress'? formula . . 'You may have breastfed, then moved on to formula, now that he's one - why stop protecting him? . . well because he doesn't need it! (must keep remembering to mute the ads).

 

[Gabriel]

She believes that it is possible (based on the experiences of some of her own peers) that some breastfed children end up underfed.

How on earth could a baby being breastfed be underfed? I could understand them being overfed as babies are greedy little beggars...but underfed? Unless a baby is feeling off they only have three moods - hungry, sleepy and wet

 

[sinbadsailor]

She believes that it is possible (based on the experiences of some of her own peers) that some breastfed children end up underfed.

I presume this can also work the other way. I would ahve thought the baby would eat their fill, so to speak?

This subject interests me, only becasue I will have a sprog of my own next year, that all.

 

[sinbadsailor]

If I had known that the purpose of your earlier statement was simply to stir up a row, frankly I wouldn't have bothered replying.

Discussion != row, ubiquitous.

What happened to people just talking, giving opinions and learning from others posts. Why does it always com down to who is right & who is wrong? Isn't the aim of the forum about knowledge-sharing, not judging people by what they say?

 

[ubiquitous]

How on earth could a baby being breastfed be underfed? I could understand them being overfed as babies are greedy little beggars...but underfed? Unless a baby is feeling off they only have three moods - hungry, sleepy and wet

You'll have to ask my wife that - she's the expert in our house on this particular subject. I think she believes that some babies are less hungry, or lets say, a little more laid-back when it comes to feeding, than others. Again this is only in the realms of theory so I can't really answer for sure

 

[Westbound]

The other thing about this ad and some others is the CGI smile they stick on the babies - they look a little freaky!

Does anyone remember the bank of Ireland (I think) ad from a year or two back, the father in the creche/nursery making the same type of promises to his child, except it turned out he was talking to the wrong child. That really really annoyed me as if it was a reverse role scenario, there would have been war over it.

On the other topic - at the end of the day the will I/won't breastfeed decision is down to the mother who has to look after the child after all. I've noticed that alot of mothers-to-be are given a real guilt trip (dirty looks), even by their best friends,espcially those who don't actually have kids, if they say they intend not breastfeeding. It only adds to the stress of being a new mother and they should be supported in whatever decision they make.

Our daughter was formula/bottle/artificially fed and she is slim and healthy. In fact, since we took her out of the creche, she hasn't been sick at all (that's 6 months ago), so the immune thing is probably a load of codswallop as plenty of breastfeb babies still get colds and other bugs.

 

[Vanilla]

This is turning into a breastfed-v- bottlefed debate!

Personally I feel that a happy and relaxed mother means a happy and relaxed baby. So whatever works for the mother is what is best.

I don't know if I give too much credence to all the claims of how much better breast feeding is for the baby. Swings and roundabouts I would have thought.

Westbound- you mention someone being made feel guilty for not breastfeeding. But in my case I was the only person ( on my first baby) on the ward who was breastfeeding and I really did feel like the odd one out. I also had embarrassing reactions from friends and acquaintances at the fact that I was breastfeeding- a common reaction was that it was a kind of new age/hippy sort of thing to do.

I found breastfeeding my first baby to be very, very hard going. If there had been a bit more experienced, flexible and kind advice it could have been much easier. You live and learn though, and I found breastfeeding my second baby to be much easier.

As I said, I really don't know if the benefits are as great as they are made out to be. However as this is Ask About Money, I will say that breast feeding is much cheaper...LOL.

 

[Purple]

It's just another ad that sells stuff to women by taking the **** out of men. Nothing new.

 

[Thirsty]

"artificial feeding" by one overzealous nurse

It's not really anything to do with being "overzealous", it's a standard term often used by medical professionals. Just like (say) heart attack vs. cardiac arrest.

 

[Betsy Og]

Since this has become a pro or anti breastfeeding thread I want to state, for the avoidance of doubt (as the fella says), that I dont have any strong views on that subject - despite the bit of craic below.

On our wee man we (well my wife if you must know ) tried it but it wasnt working out so onto the bottle & have a hail & hearty lad, no complaints TG.

I dont think its a big issue, if it works great & if not then dont sweat it. I'd agree that in Ireland the negative reaction is more likely to come if you are breastfeeding than if not.

 

[Summer]

http://www.womens-health.co.uk/vitk.asp

 

[Gordanus]

While I happily and discreetly breastfed my baby in any number of public places, only being noticed once by 2 middle-aged women, I've found that Irish breastfeeding = breastfeed at home/in private (sometimes withdrawing to a different room); when going out, express milk and feed the baby the expressed milk from the bottle. Which takes ALL the convenience away from the feeding! Typical Irish "modesty" (=confusion about sexuality)- which brings me to a merger with the religious thread...

 

[Carpenter]

It's not really anything to do with being "overzealous", it's a standard term often used by medical professionals. Just like (say) heart attack vs. cardiac arrest.

I hadn't heard the term used before; I was amused by this, especially since our own two children were breastfeed and never sampled this "artificial feeding"!

 

[sydthebeat]

my wife happens to love that ad....
'ooooh', she would coo, 'that ad is so lovely...'




i have to do my best not to puke.....

 

[michaelm]

. . I've found that Irish breastfeeding = breastfeed at home/in private (sometimes withdrawing to a different room); when going out, express milk and feed the baby the expressed milk from the bottle. Which takes ALL the convenience away from the feeding!...

Can't agree with this. It straight forward to feed pretty much anywhere and the vast majority of people will be oblivious; and I've never heard of anyone expressing so they can bottle feed when in public, that sounds crazy to me.

 

[PM1234]

Can't agree with this. It straight forward to feed pretty much anywhere and the vast majority of people will be oblivious; and I've never heard of anyone expressing so they can bottle feed when in public, that sounds crazy to me.

My friend (first baby due in October) and currently attending her antenatal classes has been advised to do this. The advantages of it are a) able to measure the volume consumed b) elimates the problems some people have with changing over to bottles and c) partner can participate (particularly helpful to tired new mums for nightfeeds etc)

 

[Purple]

partner can participate (particularly helpful to new mums for nightfeeds, a couple of hours timeout etc.

Yea, a friend of mine gave me a great piece of advice when Mrs Purple was expecting our first one. He said "Get 'em on the tit. They’ll bond and you'll get a night sleep".
It didn't work out that way and I did all the night feeds on number one so to all expecting fathers out there: breast fed is best... best for the fathers anyway!