UPDATE: The ABA counsellor at the centre of the “formula is a little bit like AIDS” controversy has refused to back down insisting that babies on formula are at serious risk of death.
When we ran this story yesterday, a number of readers accused Sunday Mail journalist David Murray and Mamamia of deliberately misquoting the Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor who had been accused of telling classes that “baby formula is a little bit like AIDS”.
We can now reveal investigative journalist David Murray spoke to the counsellor (who has allegedly now been stood down). You’ll see for yourselves that the woman in question is far from apologetic for her remarks and insteadrefused to back down.
In a story entitled “Counsellor won’t budge on formula”, The Courier Mail reported:
Doctors blasted the counsellor for “wrong” and inappropriate comments in a breastfeeding education class at the association’s Brisbane office. But the defiant counsellor maintains mothers must be told they are putting babies at risk if they use formula.
“To me babies are important and one death is too many if it can be prevented,” she told The Courier-Mail.
“When we promote breastfeeding you are saving babies’ lives. Every negative word you say about breastfeeding you are condemning babies to death.”
The stance raises questions about the level of training, supervision and control the association has over its counsellors.
The association has received millions of dollars in federal and state government funding and its patron is the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce.
Association president Rachel Fuller said on Friday the statements in the breastfeeding class “in no way represent” the body’s views and she was “following this matter up internally today”.
But when The Courier-Mail spoke to the counsellor late on Saturday, she had received only a brief call warning there “might be a bit of publicity”.
She said she probably would not refer to AIDS again but would instead tell mums that premature babies were dying because the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital lacked a milkbank.
“There is no point in me telling them there is not a death rate, that it’s not a serious thing to formula feed,” said the counsellor, who took 900 calls to the association’s breastfeeding helpline in 2010.
During the class earlier this month she told couples: “AIDS destroys your immune system and then you just die of anything and that’s what happens with formula. It provides no antibodies.
“Every 30 seconds a baby dies from infections due to a lack of breastfeeding.”
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Are there significant benefits in breastfeeding. Yes. One hundred times yes. There is no question. But it is vital that ABA counsellors are educated in evidence-based only facts and statistics, rather than being permitted to engage in propaganda and scaremongering.
The ABA website talks of breastfeeding increasing a baby’s resistence to infection and disease and we have no doubt that is true. But we think it’s time these sweeping statements were qualified. By how much? Does breastfeeding mean your baby is 50% less likely to get an infection? 70% less likely? 5% less likely?
The claims about allergies and higher IQs also need to be qualified. It is time parents were given the full picture so they can truly weigh up the pros and cons of breastfeeding and make the best decision possible for their child.
As Murray points out, this issue raises a red flag to the ongoing supervision, training and knowledge of the volunteers permitted to educate the general public. And if that is too much to expect of a volunteer organisation – that its volunteers are able to convey the benefits of breastfeeding without resorting to myths and exaggerations - then perhaps more questions need to be asked. — Mamamia
If you didn’t read yesterday’s papers, get ready to have your jaw hit the floor.
Yesterday the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) were accused of using ‘scaremongering’ tactics following revelations one of their most popular counsellors told a class that, “Baby formula is a little bit like AIDS’ and that a baby dies ‘every 30 seconds” from formula feeding.
Following a tip-off from a concerned expectant parent who had attended an ABA class, News Limited investigative journalist David Murray sent an undercover reporter to a class by the counsellor in question to witness the comments first hand.
EXPECTANT mums and their partners were told baby formula was “like AIDS” during an Australian Breastfeeding Association class.
Couples were also repeatedly told a baby died “every 30 seconds” from formula feeding, prompting a rebuke from doctors.
“Formula is a little bit like AIDS,” one of the association’s leading counsellors told couples in the breastfeeding education class.
“Nobody actually dies from AIDS; what happens is AIDS destroys your immune system and then you just die of anything and that’s what happens with formula. It provides no antibodies.
“Every 30 seconds a baby dies from infections due to a lack of breastfeeding and the use of bottles, artificial milks and other risky products. Every 30 seconds.”
The association has received $4.3 million from the Federal Government during the past five years and its patron is Governor-General Quentin Bryce.
The counsellor is commended in the ABA’s latest annual report for taking the highest number of calls to the body’s taxpayer-subsidised National Breastfeeding Helpline.
Other documents show she helped more than 900 callers in 2010 and was honoured at a branch conference last year.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians said the baby mortality cited was “certainly not true in Australia” and could be “highly frightening” for new parents.
This post isn’t designed to demonize the ABA. They are a volunteer organisation who are a much-needed and valued resource for families. And they have a large number of warm, supportive, compassionate volunteers.
However.
As an organisation that has received millions of dollars in government funding this story is about calling them to account.The training and supervision of their volunteers needs to be investigated. And it should go without saying that volunteers should be steeped in pro-breastfeeding facts that are evidence-based ONLY.
As an organisation who have and who can do so much good for women, it is time to acknowledge that there is a fanatical, zealous undercurrent to the ABA that is disturbing. And it is undermining all the good they do.
Frightening vulnerable parents into breastfeeding by using blatant lies and propoganda; intimating that formula is akin to AIDS and that babies are dying every thirty seconds is nothing short of a disgrace.
Because for every woman who is nurtured and encouraged and praised for exclusively breastfeeding, there are others, too many others, who are left humiliated, intimidated and ignored – yet whom are seen merely as collateral damage.
Well, sorry but that’s just not good enough.
What is without doubt is the fact the ABA counsellor in question is not alone. We know from past posts on Mamamia (which you can read here and here) that there are many more stories of ABA counsellors who are discrediting the name of the ABA and doing the organisation damage [update: according to the ABA, the counsellor in the story above has been stood down pending an investigation].
We have no doubt the ABA will read this post today. And what we want is for you to share your stories – both good and bad – about your experiences. They need to know the truth about the propaganda that is being spread and the unacceptable behaviour of some of their volunteers. But equally this is an opportunity to show the good that is done by those counsellors who have shown great empathy and compassion when dealing with you and your breastfeeding issues.
Over to you.
Comments
645 Comments so far
I’m actually really sick of living in a country where formula is so demonised. We should all be incredibly grateful of it’s existence and availability. Our country doesn’t have to actively promote it but neither should a government financially support an entity that derides its value. ABA is right 100% – there is no denying that ‘breast is best’ – but I think it is time that ABA also recognise that formula is LIFE SAVING and absolutely has a value. There is no reason to demonise formula in order to promote breastfeeding.
(waiting for my flaming…………………)
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No flaming, completely agree.
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I absolutely agree with this comment too. When the option to breastfeed is simply not there, formula is the only other option. Unfortunately we can’t all be milking machines…but why should our babies suffer?
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I agree. Breast is best…unless it isn’t. Personally I’m more concerned about IF a baby is fed, as opposed to WHAT it is fed. Surely if a baby is healthy and thriving it doesn’t matter what it eats?
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I am a huge supporter of the ABA and breast-feeding where possible but WTF?
There is always that handful of cowboys who think somehow they know better than fact based evidence. Get rid of her! Parents already have the most difficult guilt ridden job as it is we don’t need people like this making our job harder.
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so she’s kindda saying that baby formula is like HIV infected sperm.
Extremism is always ugly…
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This is so sad for all those wonderful people who volunteer their own time to help those with breastfeeding issues. I’ve used the ABA phone service and always found them to be supportive, understanding and so helpful. To let one persons comments undermine the whole ABA ‘brand’ is sad. It is also sad that this was taken to the media rather than straight to ABA to deal with. One bad experience and suddenly people question funding and ethics of the whole ABA. Quite an over reaction in my opinion. They do great work and like I said, have helped me so much
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Its not an overreaction when you are a mother who has to forumla feed not by choice, and are made to feel like everytime you put the bottle in your child mouth you are harming them.
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ABA were an absolute godsend for me! I feel so badly for the parents having to listen to that , I was never subjected to anything like that and was in contact with ABA for many years. They were the calming voice that got me through any tough times. A connection to other Mums…I am very grateful for the help and advice I received . Unfortunately, there is no organization with out it’s ‘twits”, for want of a better word. Most of the twits I met when I had young babies were in the medical profession…even one telling me my kids would be “too clingy’ if I breastfed them.
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As someone who is quite aware in my large social group of mothers who has breastfed and who is formula fed can I just say when the children gather together I can neither tell who has the supposive ‘compromised immune systems’ and/or the lack of mother/child bonding relationship.
As far as I am concerned these are just ABA sweeping statements that are neither backed up with real evidence and are created to cause fear amongst new mothers. Experienced mothers know better because real life tells us that is a load of bullshit.
I also believe that ABA should issue an apology to the AIDS/HIV community for such thoughtless comments made by one of their staff
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I was vulnerable when breastfeeding my last baby (started mixed feeding after 4 months, then stopped completely at 6 months) and called a few helplines in desperation. Now pregnant, i will not be calling the ABA or Tresillian with my next baby – i don’t need the extra confusion, stress or pressure when making decisions on how things are going. Although they are “trained”, it is such a subjective topic, and even the best counselors in this case can’t help but bring their own array of personal experiences to the table. A shame for the profession though, as there are probably wonderfully unbiased and supportive lactation counselors out there.
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Without the ABA I would never have reached my breastfeeding goals. I had the worst advice from health professionals with my first and ended up requiring surgery for a breast abscess because the Dr said I had to pump after every feed to get rid of my engorgement. ABA was recommended to me by a nurse helping with my recovery and after a lovely debrief with a counsellor I realised the Dr had it all wrong. I went on to have a lovely BF relationship with my son and ABA helped me through refusal and other BF issues. Another ABA counsellor helped me work through my concerns so I could have a better time with my second. We had an absolutely terrific BF journey together with lots and lots of help from ABA. I cannot thank them enough for their advice and support.
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And furthermore, as a former counsellor myself and someone who has worked with and counselled new mothers for some time, these people need to take a good hard look at their training programmes if these are the sort of people they let loose on the vulnerable. Not good enough.
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Without Aba I would never have been able to feed my daughter. The support has been never ending I was mix feeding not by choice but Aba showed me how to do it.
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To volunteer, you must be a current financial member of ABA. Ensures all volunteers are covered by ABA insurance. The counsellors need a Cert IV in breastfeeding education offered by ABA!!!!! Who regulates and assesses their courses??
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If it is a Cert IV – it is an AQF Qualification and therefore regulated by ASQA – the Australian Skills Quality Agency. They must demonstrate they meet certain criteria to offer that qualification.
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They are registered.
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When was the last time they checked?? Lots of dodgy training organisations out there.
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I would like to say that after having a planned caesarean for a crossed-legged footling breach baby I then bottle fed her. She had no sucking reflex and therefore with only the stimulation of a breast feeding pump, I could not produce any milk. Living in a small country town where caesareans and bottle feeding are both frowned upon, I was made to feel less of a mother on many occasions. Comments came thick and fast and I did my best to smile through them but ended up staying home a lot. A friend begged me to go to the local ABA morning tea because she knew I need some interaction with other new Mums and although I was terrified I went. At one stage I had to leave the room to warm a bottle for my baby and then I had to feed her in front of about 10 other breast feeding mums. At the end of the meeting the ABA representative came over and gave me a hug and congratulated me on my strength and thanked me for coming to the meeting. She could see I was struggling with the disappointment of not being able to breastfeed but assured me that my baby had to eat something. She listened to my tales of breast pumps, supply lines, lactation consultants and no sleep and then explained to me that although her role was to support breastfeeding and breastfeeding mothers, she also knew that those mothers experiencing the distress and disappointment of not being able to breastfeed also needed support. That day was a turning point in accepting how my child entered the world and how she was being fed. The breastfeeding vs bottle feeding argument is one that hurts every time it comes up. I desperately wanted to breastfeed and always thought that I would but life throws in a few curveballs sometimes and we have to adjust our thoughts. I am grateful for a beautiful, healthy child but I am also grateful to the supportive words from a local, country ABA representative.
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My daughter was born at 32 weeks weighing 4 pounds and was unable to suckle for another 4 weeks. I expressed 7 times a day for 6 weeks, barely producing enough for 2 of her 8-12 tiny feeds a day. I had nipple infections for 2 months and mastitis. What would the ABA do in my situation? Refuse formula and allow a baby to starve to death, literally? She is thriving on formula, is four months old and a 6 kg healthy happy baby who sleeps through the night. Those morons at ABA need to spend some time with mothers and babies in a neonatal intensive care unit before they spout their generic spiel. I would dearly have loved to breastfeed, but it simply was not possible. But, more than my wish to breastfeed is my wish for a happy, well fed and growing baby.
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Oh you poor thing Alison, that must have been excruciating for you. You did so well to keep it up for that long! My gp told me once to go to a Uni campus and point out who were the formula babies. Can’t pick em? Of course not…
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I had a few odd calls with the ABA when I was having trouble breast feeding.
I asked them if it was possible that I had less milk at night than in the morning, as my baby was happy all day but crying at night from hunger.
She asked how many times I was feeding my 4 mth old and I said 5-6x. She said ‘oh my goodness! Every 4 hrs? Is he not feeding through the night?’ and I said no he sleeps 7-7 with a dream feed at 10. She said ‘oh dear you should be feeding at LEAST 10x a day to keep your supply up’.
I said but I don’t think I should wake him up from his sleep to feed him every 2 hours when he isn’t hungry in the daytime!
It really confused me and made me feel like what I was doing was wrong.
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The counsellor was correct in what she told you. Babies need to feed frequently in the early days and research has shown that 4 hourly feeds are not conducive to a successful breastfeeding journey. Babies tummies are so small – as big as a small fist and they need to fill that tummy up frequently, but some babies are sleepy and don’t want to wake up, but should be woken when they are newborn or in the first weeks of life. They really shouldn’t be going 4 or more hours overnight and the extra feeds will stimulate your milk supply. Research and experience has shown that in the first few months, babies feed 8-17 times in a 24 hour period, with the average being 11 times.
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I have never liked the abs and never will. I couldn’t breast feed it just didn’t happen for me and I had specialists stating I couldn’t breast feed. Whilst in hospital an aba rep came to see me and refused to believe what the doctors stated. I was made to feel like a bad mother, I was told that your supposed to do what’s best for your child, so why wasn’t I. She offered help so I asked for bottle feeding tips her reply ( I don’t believe in that so I can’t help you )
It didn’t matter why I wasn’t breast feeding but didn’t I deserve as much assistance and support as anyway else? I know so many other mothers who couldn’t breast feed and where made by the aba to feel bad about it, one friend ended up with depression because of how she was made to feel she started to believe they where right and because she couldn’t breast feed she was a bad mother.
It’s about time they stand up and be made to account for the way they treat woman it’s disgusting and I am not surprised by this what so ever. Whilst Brest feeding mums go on about how great the aba is us formula feeding mothers see a darker more evil side of an organisation that is judgemental and causing more harm then good.
There really should be an organisation that represents both an organisation that offers support on feeding a baby regardless of how. An organisation that is truthful about real facts.
Thank you mamamia for this artical.
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My opinion is that new mothers, especially first time mothers should be able to freely make an unbiased and informed decision and be one hundred percent supported in that decision. I have witnessed first hand midwives and nursing staff express their disapproval in such a way that makes new mothers then question their ability to do anything.
I think that anyone involved with new mothers need to do so compassionately with the view of supporting them and raising their self confidence.
Being a new mother is stressful enough without other people, who they rely on, making them feel useless and incompetent.
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God this sh*t makes me angry. It makes the ABA look like lunatics and it ends up reflecting badly on other health professionals. I once sat in a class on breastfeeding when I was doing my midwifery training, and the woman taking the class was advocating for health warnings on formula tins like there are on cigarette packets. I stopped listening at that point because the thought of it was so ridiculous.
Wake up, ABA.
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Hi Zepgirl, there are actually warnings (Breast is best, check with GP, etc) on the tin of formula I have on my kitchen bench now (we’re comp feeding our 4 week old)… It’s actually really offputting…
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This particular woman wanted to go way past what’s already on the tins. She wanted graphic photos like the ones on cigarette packets put on tins of formula. Photos of overweight children, dental problems and people injecting insulin. I kid you not.
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Whatever you do – do not mention the truth. Just look at Jules.
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As someone who has worked closely with those who have HIV, this is just disgusting. Shows just what little brain function these people have, immediately disproving the notion that if these individuals who constantly slander others like this were breast fed, it has done nothing to enhance their ‘superior brain power’.
Ignorant, nasty people.
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I’ve called the ABA line once and has a fantastic experience. She was really supportive and actually made me feel better about the breast feeding I have been doing, rather than adding to my guilt about comping my girl with formula. I have to say it has really helped me through it.
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Thw actions of this and some other lactation consultants aka ‘boob police’ are unconscionable to vulnerable mothers. Poor quality water & lack of access to sanitation processes can cause deaths due to dysentery fir bottle feed babies in developing countries but not in Australia. The ABA needs to cease this tax payer funded guilt campaign immediately or have all funds with drawn.
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Aside from the formula/breastfeeding part of the argument (for which I am deeply distressed) can I also draw attention to the use of AIDS.
Firstly its used as a comparison because people find it so deeply horrifying.
As someone who has lost two of my nearest to AIDS and has a number of HIV+ friends I am grossly offended on their behalf that their suffering is compared to perfectly safe and adequate feeding of a baby.
Things (drug dreatments) are vastly improved from when I lost my first loved one in 1995 but perhaps if this ABA ‘counsellor’ has so much time on her hands to make crap up she might like to spend some time wiping the bum of an emaciated dying 32 year old and then go and see a bouncy, happy, healthy formula feed baby. If the comparison doesn’t make her sick there is something wrong with her.
This is the problem with the ABA being about ‘trained’ but voluntary counsellors. Its entirely unprofessional.
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BRILLIANT point, Dee. I’m sorry we didn’t include that in the main post above.
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I was watching someone from the ABA and someone from Trescilian just now on Mornings on 9.
They both said they try to emphasise the positives of breastfeeding instead of the negatives of bottle feeding.
And then the woman from Trescilian said that “breastfeeding promotes better mother/baby bonding and has wonderfully beneficial mental health effects for babies”.
That gets me. Because it implies that women who bottle feed somehow have a lesser bond with their babies. And that their babies are at risk of mental health problems.
This is clearly not as overt as linking formula with AIDS but it’s insidious and detrimental to women who may not be able to breastfeed. I am a firm believer in breastfeeding for myself – I’ve had two great experiences and one TERRIBLE one.
But I worry about the way the ABA is staffed by volunteers who are able to disseminate whatever information they like – regardless of facts.
When I had mastitis 8 times in 7 months with my second child, I called the ABA one weekend in desperation for some advice.
The volunteer asked me if my baby had been sick.
Yes, I replied. She has a cold.
“Oh well that’s it then! Your baby has passed that virus to your breast through breastfeeding and that’s given you the mastitis. Don’t give up. It’s just one of those things that happen sometimes.”
When I mentioned this to a friend who is a doctor, she nearly fell off her chair. Of course, breasts can’t ‘catch’ a cold and babies can’t transmit viruses into a breast.
And yet…..I believed what I was told by this volunteer.
I’m not sure what the answer is but I wonder how much other absurd, nonsensical propaganda is being conveyed to vulnerable new mothers along with much needed support and credible information?
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Someone tweeted to me yesterday that an ABA rep told her that feeding her baby formula was like feeding her cement.
Enough said.
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Bec, I am a big fan of yours, but why is that enough said? I know you had a shitty experience in hospital with trying to get formula and it is really unfortunate. But despite your efforts in the article to separate the individual counsellor (and yes admittedly a few other bad eggs) and the ABA as an organisation, now you’re tarring them all with the same brush. I am heavily involved with ABA and I have never been part of a more judgement-free group of people in my life!
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Hi Pippa!
Because several people on here and on Twitter have said that this is an isolated case and they do not reflect the organisation.
Well that’s not true.
And Pippa, please know this isn’t about me. I have felt annoyed at treatment of women who don’t breastfeed for years. It started when a dear friend of mine who is in the minority who physically cannot breastfeed was berated and harrassed in hospital. To the point where the hospital had to issue an apology to her.
I saw what she went through and the fact it lead to PND.
It’s not about ‘a few bad eggs’ — it’s about a culture that exists that justifies bullying women AND spreading misinformation.
It’s not just one person. Or two. Or three. It is an underlying culture.
I am tired of this “collateral damage’ approach (oh well, if a few oversensitive women are offended on our way to raising breastfeeding rates, that’s just unfortunate).
No. It’s not unfortunate, it’s wrong.
I’m glad your ABA group is a positive one! That’s terrific (and I mean that sincerely). But clearly they are not all that way.
Having a baby is the most vulnerable and fragile time in your life … and I want to stop the demonisation of women who choose not to breastfeed. For whatever reason.
I hope that explains where I’m coming from.
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Thanks Bec, I appreciate your response, and am sorry to hear about your friend’s experience, and sorry if I offended you by referring to your own experience. I do strongly disagree with you that the culture of the ABA supports this horrible incident, but I understand where you are coming from.
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Hi Pippa
No, you didn’t offend me at all. And I meant to clarify above that I’m not only talking about the ABA. I’m also talking about midwives in hospitals who berate new mothers.
I don’t think the ABA culture supports this attitude but I think it is an undercurrent. I think the ABA possibly attracts some extremist personality types who are not adequately trained in evidence-based facts.
Also, I spoke to the journalist (David Murray) personally who did this story. It was reported accurately. And the counsellor has (to my knowledge) admitted guilt and been stood down.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree
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It sounds like you have a guilty conscience. Just about every expert alive will tell you breast is best. Why ignore the fact? No-one is saying you can’t bond if you bottle feed, just that bonding is on the whole better with breast feeding. It makes sense, so why pander to the concerns and insecurities of people who choose to bottle feed?
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In actual fact there is a lot of reputable studies which show the benefits of breastfeeding have been greatly exaggerated. Ie Michael kramer who conducted largest study of BF vs FF to date and is leading pediatrician for WHO has publicly stated benefits of BF in developed world has been greatly exaggerated.
Moreover, thereis a strong body of evidence that in cases where there are ongoing signifcant difficulties with breastfeeding (as opposed to initial problems when establishing feeding which are often overcome) it is actually detrimental to mother / baby bonding to continue BF.
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There are also reputable scientists who can cite all sorts of facts and figures etc… to apparently prove climate change isn’t real.
Of course there will be circumstances when bottle is best or breast feeding is complicated by factors. But those will be the minority. Again no-one is saying you can’t bond with a bottle, just that there is better bonding with a breast.
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Did you seriously just use climate change research to question the validity of breast feeding research?
Wow.
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Iv read studies by breast feeding professionals they state breast feeding is only as good as what you eat. It’s not as good as it was 50 yrs ago because of the amount of junk people eat. I don’t know many woman who breast feed that eat as good as they should so my question is, is it really best?
And who is it best for?
Breast is only best if it works for you and your baby. If for what ever reason it doesn’t work for you then it clearly is not best. If a woman can’t breast feed due to illness, medication, because her milk doesn’t come in then it’s clearly not best.
If a woman chooses not to because she simply doesn’t want to how is making her, guilting her into doing something she doesn’t want to that could lead to pnd mean breast is best.
In some the breast is best message can do as much bad as good, and that’s really the point isn’t it. So do what you want to do and leave other woman alone to do what they want to do. Don’t judge, don’t give your opinion if your not asked, don’t assume leave woman alone and just support. Geez it just seems too hard for some woman to keep their noses and thoughts and negative cr&p away from other people. Give support I mean I’ve seen a woman that has breast feed all three children to the age of two she thinks it should be made legal she tells bottle feeding mothes breast is best constantly but what is funny her older children 10 & 12 play violent video games day in day out, they don’t play sport and are overweight she feels their is nothing wrong with this….. My point is no mother is perfect no mother does it by the code. Some mothers may start off doing things by the code but forget about other things later down the track, in this case the be active message. Have I ever expressed my concerns to her, no just because I don’t believe in those types of video games it doesn’t mean I have the right to make her feel guilty about the choices she makes with her children.
So if a child is fed, loved, has a roof, clean clothes and education stay out of it.
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I couldn’t Brest feed and also ended up having an emergency c section alot of people told me including an ABA councillor I wouldn’t be able to bond naturally with my child unless I forced my milk to come in. I formula fed and have a very close living bond with my son. Also he is more advanced then he should be at his age, it’s amazing listening to some of the things the ABA says and frustrating because as a mother that formula feeds I know what they say is clearly untrue.
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I think the only way breastfeeding increases maternal bonding is because you never see a child in a pram with a pillow propping up mum’s boob while she checks her phone messages from 10 metres away.
The problem is not the bottle, it’s the person failing to hold it.
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Women zone out while breastfeeding all the time – reading, watching TV, talking to other people, even sleeping! So “the problem” is people not interacting with their baby. Or perhaps it’s judging??
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I have never seen a bottle feeds baby left in the pram with a bottle propped on a pillow and can say I have never done that myself haha if you knew how much wind a bottle fed baby can get from not sucking from a bottle at the right angle you would now most bottle fed mothers do not do that. I have however seen a breast fed mother check her mobile phone end of the day doesn’t matter how a woman feeds her baby both can be guilty of checking their phones whilst feeding nub lol
In saying that bottle feeding allows less hands, can I eat whilst feeding my son, nope I can’t do much so I look at him, I chat to him and I sing him songs so do the rest of my formula feeding friends. Further more what about the bond between father and child?? My husband loves feeding our son they have their little mate time and his friends have become jealous of him even asking their wives can they bottle feed because they want to feed their kids too all because they see the close bond my husband has with his child that they feel they don’t have. They have all said they often feel discluded, left out and not needed. But to see the way it could be has risen their hopes for the same bond their bubs share with mum. After all dads deserve arhat same feeling surely. We have female friends that even refuse to put breast milk in a bottle for their hubby’s to feed because of this so called breast feeding bond that mothers think they can only get through breast feeding. It just makes me feel sad for their husbands his bond should count too.
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That point is actually raised by Michael Kramer himself when discussing the cause and effect of the 3-5 point iq difference in breasted and formula fed babies. His theory on his own research was that breast feeding generally requires more attention given to the baby and therefore more interaction, and that could be the reason for the difference, not the milk itself.
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having not read this study, the thought is also that the breastfeeding population in the western world tends to be higher IQ, higher qualified, more affluent sector of the community, so the breastfeeding difference in IQ could be more the genetic factor too? Many possible variables!!
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That point was also raised by Kramer particularly since due to ethical considerations there is no randomness or control in the formula and breasted groups. You can’t make someone breast feed for the love of science and you can’t keep a baby in a lab for a year!
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Actually, breastfeeding rates are higher in poorer, lower IQ parts of the world.
40 years ago an affluent white woman would rarely lower herself to actually breastfeed her child, although in many affluent societies in times gone past mothers would have the “hired help” or slaves wet nurse their babies.
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Your boobs catching cold is up there with the woman who suggested a chiro adjustment to me when I felt mastitis coming on. And the chiro I asked about it, actually too. “If you manipulate your back, it will release the infection and you’ll get better”. Or, how about I take the antibiotics and get rid of it?
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I chose to have chiro treatment to treat my third case of mastitis after I found antibiotics didn’t completely get rid of it the first two times. It took three adjustments over a week and the infection completely cleared up. It was horrible, though..after the adjustments I would feel worse, because of the toxins being released, but my word I healed faster then I ever did with antibiotic treatment.
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As a nurse I am seriously doubtful that your mastitis was cured by a chiropractor. That makes no sense. It’s far more likely the infection self resolved.
I have seen women with severe mastitis coming through the emergency department needing drains inserted into their breast, in agony trying to express milk. After having only had breast pain for three days. It can come on quick and get bad fast, I think it’s very risky to not get it treated.
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A Chiropractor?!? For mastitis? I don’t think so….
Mastitis is an infection.
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My mum got acupuncture and it went away in an hour!
She said her boobs were the size of watermelons!
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I saw a physio for mastitis, she gave me ultrasound on my breasts to break up the lumps because they were so inflamed.
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continued…but that was after visiting my GP and at her recommendation and after being put on antibiotics as well.
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Were these ‘adjustments’ done to the breast? If so it probably had the same positive effect as massage in clearing blockages in early stages of mastitis, hence the effectiveness. Massage under a hot shower was a godsend for me and I had to keep vigilant as it popped up recurrently especially if left it too long between feeds eg bub slept for a long stretch or I pumped too
much or just at the beginning during the crazy milk coming in phase! Whenever I felt a painful ‘hot spot’ start to develop I gritted my teeth and massaged till the lump went (and yes it hurt at first and i might have to do it a few times over a day or two) and it
would settle down. I might add that this advice was given to me in hospital by a lovely old school nurse. Same place that a rather worse informed nurse put me on a breast pump when I was still at the colostrum stage! We really need more professional training for all maternal health professionals and volunteers.
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Breast is best – best for bonding, best for nutrition, best for finances, etc etc. Parenting is made up of choices. We choose to go back to work full time because of the financial (and sanity) benefits, or we choose not to.
Each choice is based on our own personal situation, but there is NO DENYING that Breast is best. Get over it.
ABA clearly need to tighten up their volunteer training, but to say you are not demonising them is not true. You didn’t need to put this article up. And you didn’t need to inflame the best v bottle war.
There *are* some Mums who can’t breastfeed for genuine physical reasons, but honestly, most Mums who give up do so through lack of support, information and well meaning (but seriously misguided) people who say things like “Oh you just need one good night’s sleep, let me give him/her a bottle”.
Until people understand supply/demand there will always be people who give up unneccesarily. If you give up because it’s just not a priority for you, well and good – that’s just another parenting choice. Own it.
If you continue this witchhunt against the ABA they will lose their volunteers and Australians mothers and their babies WILL be worse off. No doubt. And you will have contributed.
Irresponsible “journalism” at its worst here Mia. I’m really disappointed.
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“best” is a matter opinion. I think what you mean is that breastmilk has significant health benefits that formula doesn’t. Breast was certainly not best for my daughter, who was unable to suck till almost 4 months because she was a premie. Her food needed to be fortified and every ml counted because she was underweight. Formula helped her put on weight. She also had reflux and needed her food to be thickened. So formula feeding was best for her. And for me? The trauma of a sexual assault made breast feeding incredibly difficult. A social worker at the hospital suggested I express or formula feed as I was at risk of pnd. So no, breast was not best for me or my daughter. Bottle feeding was. And I certainly own that.
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fyi my first son could not breastfeed for many months due to his disability, so I pumped. For six months, every 3-4 hours. I was lucky enough (and diligent and committed enough) to be able to produce enough for him. THis is of course, not always possible.
My second son was born at 1200g. I expressed for four months before we could mostly breastfeed, and yes, we fortified his milk, but using breastmilk as the base is best. No question. I was also lucky enough to be able to fortify his milk naturally much of the time – using the “fat” off the top to give him the extra calories he needed.
So I stand by what I said – breastmilk *is* best. If you simply can’t produce milk, or your kid can’t suck, it’s much harder work to get them that breastmilk, of course. But that doesn’t stop it being best for them.
Bottle feeding was not *best* for your daughter, but it was the best that you could do at the time – which is all any of us can do. No judgement here – and that’s my point.
If you can only afford a 1985 hatchback for your 16yo, instead of a super-safe brand new Volvo – does that mean that the hatchback was *best* for your child – No, of course not, but it does mean that you did you best for your child with what you could provide.
Why can’t people accept that breastmilk *is* the gold standard for infant nutrition, and then simply make their choices, and OWN their choices instead of all this claptrap and defensive stuff. It is so not useful.
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Because as I said it isn’t for everybody. It has significant health benefits over formula. And btw I expressed for 3 months with my daughter and tried motilium and everything else under the sun. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway because aside from the 3 months she got ebm she would have to be bottle fed anyway once off the feeding tube for the reasons stated above.
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Absolutely well said Sam! The main thing about breast milk it is produced by humans for humans. It’s that Simple. As times have changed man has created alternatives and as our communities have evolved so has parent to parent education. We are more independent and separate and where we would have had feeding (which was the only option moons ago) demonstrated, modeled in front of us in days gone by, it is now so secretive that supports diminished and problems could not be resolved. An alternative (artificial breast milk – aka formula) was there to take so it was taken. Please do not diminish the fact that ABA has helped multitudes of parents to feed their babies human milk. It is natural still but not always easy. ABA is the community that supports and educates us where generations ago it wouldve been neighbors family and friends. I feel for those who have felt victimized, betrayed, anguished and more but that’s not everyone! ABA can and has made a difference to some of us who really needed it. Please don’t turn this into a witch hunt. Perhaps a direct complaint at the time to the ABA, which should be followed up, would assist the ABA in monitoring, supporting and creating a better system. They are not all extremists or nazis and does it not make those who say these things just as bad as those who have used labels for formula feeding mums. We ALL deserve a break. So quit the war, do something pro active about genuine issues you’ve had so that changes can be made and a community saved – for those who want to be part of it.
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You make some excellent points Mia, and I take this issue seriously…but I can’t help laughing at your boobs catching a cold! That’s why my Mum always had a tissue in her bra!
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They’ve just had a representative of the ABA on Channel 9 saying the counsellor has been stood down and an investigation is underway.
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Bravo, ABA, for making yourselves look insane. Way to get your point across…
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When our second child came around and the breast feeding person came to see us I clicked my heels and gave the you know what greeting and salute. That about sums up what I think of the ABA. Sincere story.
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Why?
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