Breastfeeding

I guess it's the health of the next generation that matters. If this scheme works.....

Seems hard on mums who can't do it though.

I suppose while they are in hospital they won't be given bottled milk but since most mums seem to leave within a day or so I can't see how it will be monitored. I would hope that anyone that received £200 would feel guilty to take the money without at least giving breastfeeding a good try.

How long for? What a stupid idea! Main thing is to get the baby properly fed and feel happy. I speak as one who breast fed both DS and worked as a breast feeding counsellor. As my DDiL says, it isn't a competition.

The health visitors (that rare species) will have to act as spies.

I thought midwives had a duty of care to visit until the baby is 10 days old - presumably it I they who will monitor- even a few days of breast milk is beneficial to transfer a lot of the mothers immunity - says she who under no circumstances would have breastfed!!! Shocker!!

"Under the scheme, mums will be given £120 worth of vouchers from Argos, Debenhams, Poundstretcher and supermarkets Tesco, Asda and Morrisons, if they sign forms declaring that they have breastfed their child for six weeks, with a further £80 at six months."

So it looks as though it's just a case of self-certification!

What a ridiculous idea in so many ways.

Given that most people pay for everything on credit card these days it would be possible to check if they'd been buying formula milk I guess.

Well, if they knew that was being done they'd just pay cash, wouldn't they? Or say it was for their neighbour...

It would be too expensive to do that, not to mention probably illegal.

Breastfeeding rates in Britain are shockingly low so anything which encourages mothers to feed for a minimum of 6 months is good.
But I don't think this will help new mums establish breastfeeding, which can be very difficult at a very emotional time. What's needed is active and continuing support, which is just not available any more. Midwives don't have time during the few hours mothers are in hospital.
One of my grandchildren was born on a Thursday night, had not fed at all before going home nor for the whole weekend following. It was Monday before my distraught daughter could access any help.
All my children and grandchildren have been breastfed for a year or more because breast is best, not because we were paid to.

Just what a young mum who cannot BF needs to make her feel like a failure

I don't understand the health thing. I was bottle fed and apart from childhood measles etc. have never had anything wrong with me in my life!
I will say that I was able to breastfeed my DCs until they were one year old. They are also very healthy adults. So we'd wreck someone's data! X

Better to spend the money helping new mums to establish breastfeeding before they leave hospital or when they first get home. It is not always second nature for mum or baby.

I agree with Agus.

apricot the newborn baby that was found in a drain in Australia had survived, just about, for five days. A specialist said that they are able to survive for a few days; the mother's milk doesn't come in for about 3-4 days anyway, although the colostrum is important before then.

I heard this issue being discussed on the radio and a health visitor said that the scheme was aimed at mothers in lower social groups where bottle feeding is the norm. By giving the vouchers a mother going against the norm can justify it on the grounds that she wants to get the shopping vouchers and, according to the health visitor, a pilot scheme has proved very successful.

I am sure the health visitors will be going on more than just blind trust in what the mother said. The age of the babies involved and the groups the health visitors are working with suggests that there is regular and frequent interaction between mothers and health visitors

I can't understand anyone wanting to get up and make a bottle in the night when they can just pick the baby up and feed it . Also a good way to shed any weight you've put on duiring the pregnancy [not at the beginning but a few months down the line].

I always remember Dr Hugh Jolly's advice to mothers who were having difficulty breastfeeding and we're feeling guilty about it, as many do.
He suggested going along to the local primary school and observing the children in the reception class. It would be impossible to tell the difference between those who had been breastfed as babies and those who had been bottle fed.

were
Bl**dy phone.

Well, either way, you have to get up during the night, pick up your baby and feed it. Waiting a couple of minutes for a bottle to warm, I wouldn't have thought there was a huge difference as far as night feeds go apart from how you choose to feed.

And at least your partner (if you have one) can take turns if you decide to bottle-feed for whatever reason.

I'm not sure the comparison of reception age children would quell every mother's sense of guilt about not being able to breast feed, though.

My mother couldn't breast feed me. I tried with my three DC and only managed a month. Both my DDs tried - especially DD1 although she'd been very ill with pre-eclampsia as DGD1 was prem. None of us could give enough milk. It just didn't happen. DDiL has Chrones disease and only half an intestine and was told she must not breast feed as it would be too much of a drain on her health. We're all just left with the guilt that we failed. I had hoped that things would have improved and my DDs wouldn't have this guilt put upon them but no.

I'm sure it's true that breast is best, but there are a lot of mothers who just can't manage it and I suspect it has always been so. It wasn't just the rich who had wet nurses. It's unfair to add to the guilt of failing to breast feed by financially rewarding those who can.

I agree with J52. Evidence that bottle feeding causes health problems is not sound. The problem lies, I think, where people don't have access to clean water and ways of keeping baby bottles and teats really clean, i.e. not in this country.

It seems like a very divisive idea, this £200 voucher thing.

Thatbags - I'm interested in your comment about the breastfeeding data not being sound -can I have a link please?