"Marketing practices that undermine breastfeeding are potentially hazardous wherever they are pursued: in the developing world, WHO estimates that some 1.5 million children die each year because they are not adequately breastfed. These facts are not in dispute." - Unicef.
Having struggled with breastfeeding my baby, and knowing other Mum's who have struggled even more, I am certainly not anti formula feeding. I know many families who's sanities were saved by the introduction, in full or in part, of formula milk and I completely support the decision they made knowing that ultimately it was best for them. There were many times when only pure stubborness prevented me from putting Isaac on the bottle - a week of round the clock two hourly feeds will test the resolve and determination of even the most pro breastfeeding Mum.
So, like I say, I am certainly not anti formula feeding. Isaac has had the occasional bottle to give me a break. The issue here is not that all formula is bad. Perhaps contraversially, I don't believe that we can say breastfeeding is best at any cost. Babies also need Mum's who get to sleep now and again; Mum's who don't start resenting them because of the pain and endless work that breastfeeding a newborn can entail.
But we cannot dispute the fact that breastfed babies are given the best possible start in life. Not only because of the significant health benefits, but there is recent research showing that breastfed babies are better behaved and have greater social mobility later in life (see links at end). So while I am not anti formula feeding, I am pro breastfeeding. I believe strongly in giving Mum's the best information and support possible; to help them to feed their babies the way they want to. Instead of saying breastfeeding is best at any cost, why don't we try to minimise the cost and maximise the support for Mum's to give them the best chance of a happy, healthy breastfeeding experience.
Which is where the problem with formula comes in: Companies such as Nestle and Danone (cow and gate) consistently break international codes of practise when marketing their formula. They do not aim to compete with other infant formulas; but instead aim to compete with breastfeeding. In addition to this Nestle does not make clear that formula is not a sterile product and must be made with water 70 degrees or hotter in order to kill harmful bacteria. They even sell a system called BabyNes for making up formula which fails to heat the water enough - leaving harmful bacteria in the milk - which is also marketed as safe.
This is bad enough in countries where access to clean water and good health care is available to all but where the water is unsafe a formula fed baby is up to twenty five times more likely to die as a result of diarrhoea. Despite this, Nestle advertises its milk as safe, claiming it "protects babies" in countries known to have unsafe water.
So this week I am joining the Nestle boycott - no more fruit pastles, cinnamon crunch or cheerios for me! Join us to help put pressure on Nestle to start putting babies before profits and marketing it's milk safely: http://info.babymilkaction.org/nestlefreeweek
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13343526
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/oct/09/breastfeeding-link-to-social-mobility
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