BritMums co-founder Jennifer Howze got up early this morning to go into the Sky News studios to comment on the controversial new research that is compensating mums to breastfeed by giving them Matalan, John Lewis and Mothercare vouchers.
What do you think? Would the money be better spent educating new mums? Or does a bribe really work, giving new mums an incentive for a practice that benefits mothers and babies?
Let us know your thoughts below. And if you’ve written about it, leave us a link!
Jennie Bristow, our friend over at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, has written about how the benefits of breast over formula have been overstated and as a result makes the decision on how we feed our babies “society’s business”.
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BritMums is the UK’s original collective of lifestyle bloggers and digital influencers, fueling the country’s most influential social content. We lead the online conversation with members who are parent social influencers creating content on topics ranging from food, parenting, travel, politics, style and more.
Siobhan from Everyone Else is Normal
Monday 18th of November 2013
Your response was so good, well done. And very professional. Its a tricky, very emotive subject so you did really well to get this across in this style. Thank you!
MummaG
Sunday 17th of November 2013
I think the money would be better spent giving support. I wrote my view on my blog http://mummagzblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/breastfeeding-voucher-well-okay-then.html
Toby Goes Bananas
Sunday 17th of November 2013
As someone who struggled with breastfeeding and received some pretty unhelpful advice I agree with most people that the money would be better spent on support...but I also think there's a bit more to it than that.
I wrote about my thoughts on the matter here - http://tobygoesbananas.wordpress.com/2013/11/12/in-the-news-paid-to-breastfeed/
ellie - mush brained ramblings
Wednesday 13th of November 2013
Great piece Jen well presented and thoughtful ... I have found the whole concept difficult and do firmly believe the money can be better spent elsewhere and that the way it's being spent leaves a whole gap in the support network / maze ...
At 22 months I'm still breastfeeding and LOVING it, but to begin with things were very different and I used formula, bottles, spoons, breast (when I could) and pretty much anything I could to get nourishment into my daughter. She was premature and nose tube fed for a few weeks, I was a geriatric (very) mother who'd had a cesarean but was determined to breastfeed and stubborn old bag that I am I very nearly gave up and would have done had I not had help from LLL. I made my decision, other people make theirs ... http://crazypregnantperson.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/pay-me/ I don't have your articulate and succinct way with words Jen so I wrote a great long rambly and very personal post on the whole affair ... what in the end pushed me to do that was the extraordinary piece in the Indy saying breastfeeding mothers and particularly breastfeeding blogging mothers are middle class lactivists ... what's important is the love and care that a mother provides to a new born and the way that new mothers are supported across the board.
OK shutting up now!
Fearless Formula Feeder
Wednesday 13th of November 2013
I was interviewed in the 11-12 slot yesterday and was so frustrated by the lack of REAL discussion on the issue... I am thrilled to see this - Jen, you did such an incredible job expressing yourself and said everything that needed to be said. I'm grateful to you for saying what I couldn't, in such a sensitive and eloquent way.
Best,
Suzanne Barston FearlessFormuaFeeder.com
Jennifer Howze
Wednesday 13th of November 2013
Thanks for the encouragement. It's funny (odd not haha) how tied up in knots we get about using formula. When my daughter was a baby my mother was all, "Heavens, don't worry about using it. You had it and you turned out ok."