What are you good people at MN doing getting involved in a tie in with *Aptamil*???????

[moondog]

Wonder how many feel as disappointed as me????

[NomDePlume]

Why should I feel disappointed ? Am I missing something ? What have Milupa done ?

[tassis]

As I've already said, I was very surprised and disappointed to see this on the homepage.

[CarolinaMoon]

Ndp, Milupa Aptamil have a link on the MN home page featuring the slogan "breast is best". If you click on the link it takes you to MA's site which is full of stuff about the fab contents of breastmilk.

Buried deep within the site is the information that MA make formula milk.

It's illegal for formula companies to advertise formula to the general public, and this is MA's sneaky way of trying to get round that ban and get their brand name in front of parents.

[lunavix]

I hope this isn't going to be a pathetic 'how dare people promote formula' type thread.

[moondog]

Errrr,yes it is lunavix. In this context at least.

[astonished]

I agree that it appears to be a cynical ploy to promote forumal milk, I agree with you on thi Moondog

[lunavix]

This enrages me, tbh. I remember a thread with someone shopping supermarkets when they put formula on promotion. I know breast is best, and anyone who has a baby, and has ears or eyes will know this through the constant leaflets and talks given by paeds and hv's. But what is the problem?

If someone is lazy, they will give their baby formula if they feel it will make their life easier. And to be honest, that baby isn't exactly going to suffer.

And for some of mums, like myself, breast feeding wasn't an option for long, and I cried full of guilt for nights over that. I don't see why promotions are a bad thing - we had no money, and as tescos say every little helps - and at the hospital the doctors said we had to stay on the brand of formula they chose ds and it would make him sick if we changed! I'd have liked information on other brands!

[moondog]

Buckle your seatbelts. We're in for a very bumpy ride.

[CarolinaMoon]

Lunavix, this isn't an anti-formula thread, it's an anti-illegal-advertising thread.

Milupa Aptamil are trying to find a loophole in a law that's been in force for at least a decade.

Please feel free to lobby your MP and anyone else if you want that law to be changed, but please don't take this thread personally. That's not what it's about.

[katierocket]

I'm kind of ambivalent about this. I do think it is a ploy to get round the regulations, it's a PR thang. But to a degree I don't care that much (so shoot me) because I Mumsnet needs the cash.

[NomDePlume]

I agree katierocket

[Aragon]

Yep! Am fed up with the baby milk companies sly walk round the code of practice that they say they adhere to. They don't and never did.

[WigWamBam]

As I said on the thread that I started earlier today, I have no problem with formula feeding, or with advertising for formula feeding, or with Mumsnet having advertising from a formula company. I'm not interested in yet another breast v bottle feeding barny. But I have to admit to feeling rather odd about a breast-feeding site created by a formula company. I feel that this is cynical marketing, and wonder what kind of advice women struggling to breast-feed are going to get from this advice line. It can hardly be impartial, and that's my problem with the site. I'm not against advertising, just amazed that they are making this pretence at actually caring whether women breast-feed or not.

[moondog]

Many formula companies offer 'breast feeding advice'WWB.
It's rather like a fag company running a 'How to quit smoking' helpline lol!

[Aragon]

Have just followed the link and tbh am a bit depressed by it all. "Breast is best but hey we put LCPs etc in our milks and they are in breastmilk too".
The mother taking info from here has learned:

1. Breast is best
   
2. Breast milk contains LCPs essential to healthy brain growth and development
   
3. LCPs are added to Apatamil
   
   What she has actually taken in (albeit subconciously) is that Aptamil is a good alternative. A few problems with breastfeeding, inadequate professional support and the inevitable slide into bottle feeding. No prizes for guessing which milk she'll choose.
   
   
   BTW this is not an anti -bottlefeeders rant. I bottlefed DS as I am a failed breastfeeder. However, let's not pretend that Milupa are doing any parent any favours here - they're not. They are trying to persuade parents that their milk is a comparable substitute for breast milk.
   
   If a Mum chooses to bottlefeed then fine - she should have all the info available at her fingertips. This site is not aimed at the bottlefeeders though - the babymilk companies already have a captive audience there - no it's aimed at the breastfeeders - the women who are not going to make them any money - unless of course they can be persuaded.

[lunavix]

Isn't it somewhat like Huggies/Pampers offering potty training advice?

[nutcracker]

What exactly is wrong with advertsing formula anyway ???

[nutcracker]

What exactly is wrong with advertsing formula anyway ???

[Aragon]

Oh God - I am such a cynic.

[moondog]

Or MacDonalds sponsoring a local organic veg box scheme???

[Aragon]

Nothing wrong with advertising formula to women who are going to bottlefeed. It's when they start targeting women who want to breastfeed that I have a problem.

It's like a cigarette company advertising "Quit smoking" schemes while extolling the virtues of a fag.

[Aragon]

Need to leave this subject quick.

[WigWamBam]

It's illegal to advertise formula except as a follow-on milk for over 6 months, nutcracker.

[nutcracker]

Sorry i just don't see the prob.

Ok breast is best everyone knows that, but people still buy formula so why no ads.

[nutcracker]

Yeah I know it's illegal but I don't see why it is thats all.

So them advertising it would take away peoples choice would it ??? Erm no