Ugh, now I know why I don't read mainstream parenting magazines - Page 2

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by cmlp

Fortunately, Nestle has not succeeded in breaking through with follow-up milk in anglo-saxon countries, I think partly because most doctors recommend bottle-weaning and replacing formula with straight cow's milk at age one.

Too bad they usually also recommend weaning from breastmilk at the same time, probably because they've bought into the bs about formula being "just as good."

[Soxfan Mom]

What can I tell you, I get the magazine in question. In fact I just renewed it. I plan to write them a letter telling them how disappointed I am that they even posed this question.

On the plus side, at least the "no" answers pretty much mimic, oh, Bush's approval ratings. Not so good.

[p1gg1e]

Originally Posted by cmlp

Interesting you should say this because here in France, where mothers rarely breastfeed beyond 3 months and many never do , Nestle and other companies have very successfully marketed "growth milk" (aka "follow-up formula") that parents systematically give to their children (in bottles, no less!!) between the ages of three. The AAP at least has the sense to recommend bottle-weaning at one year, to prevent children from drinking too much milk (low in iron). In France, parents just buy this follow-up formula, which has lots of iron in it and lots of sugar in it, too (to hide the awful taste of the iron) so that they can continue to give their child 2 or 3 bottles a day without the child getting iron-deficient and anemic. Totally ridiculous. Our pediatrician does not recommend this milk for any of his patients but he is definitely in the minority. The majority of pediatricians here recommend it!

Fortunately, Nestle has not succeeded in breaking through with follow-up milk in anglo-saxon countries, I think partly because most doctors recommend bottle-weaning and replacing formula with straight cow's milk at age one.

Interesting, France now has an obesity issue that they never had before... Hummm I wonder :

[mommabean3]

Yes, I got that same magazine this month and was : when I read those "no" comments.

[Quagmire]

"By six to eight months, your child will have gotten plenty of benefits. There are other ways a mother and child can connect"

[sapphire_chan]

(insert stupid voice) But I thought that feeding the baby was the *only* way the father could connect!

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

(insert stupid voice) But I thought that feeding the baby was the *only* way the father could connect!

[MillingNome]

:

And people take that stuff to heart. They buy those reasons without facts to back them up.

[Nora'sMama]

Originally Posted by cmlp

Interesting you should say this because here in France, where mothers rarely breastfeed beyond 3 months and many never do , Nestle and other companies have very successfully marketed "growth milk" (aka "follow-up formula") that parents systematically give to their children (in bottles, no less!!) between the ages of three. The AAP at least has the sense to recommend bottle-weaning at one year, to prevent children from drinking too much milk (low in iron). In France, parents just buy this follow-up formula, which has lots of iron in it and lots of sugar in it, too (to hide the awful taste of the iron) so that they can continue to give their child 2 or 3 bottles a day without the child getting iron-deficient and anemic. Totally ridiculous. Our pediatrician does not recommend this milk for any of his patients but he is definitely in the minority. The majority of pediatricians here recommend it!

Fortunately, Nestle has not succeeded in breaking through with follow-up milk in anglo-saxon countries, I think partly because most doctors recommend bottle-weaning and replacing formula with straight cow's milk at age one.

CMLP, does France have an equivalent body to the AAP? If so, what is their recommendation on BF? I'm kind of surprised that so few French mothers BF - they are so non-prudish compared to the U.S. that I would think that a lot of our cultural "issues" with BF would be less of a problem there.

[ckberkey]

Originally Posted by pease

I think it was great that the poll was so weighted in favor of extended nursing! Woohoo!

The "no" comments are lame. Anyone with half a brain would recognize how pathetic they are immediately.

My thoughts exactly

[RomanGoddess]

Originally Posted by Nora'sMama

CMLP, does France have an equivalent body to the AAP? If so, what is their recommendation on BF? I'm kind of surprised that so few French mothers BF - they are so non-prudish compared to the U.S. that I would think that a lot of our cultural "issues" with BF would be less of a problem there.

I don't think there is anything like the AAP in France and if there is, there is no unified stance on breastfeeding. Our own paediatrician is an established author of many French baby books and advocates total demand-feeding and NO CIO. But if you ask him about breastfeeding, he'll tell you that obviously it is nutritionally better than formula but that in the long term, it will make no difference. If you ask him about all the scientific studies that have been done to show that it does make a difference, he responds that none of these studies could possibly have had proper control groups and that they are therefore inherently biased. This is the attitude of most French doctors.

Culturally, there is no hype whatsoever about NIP. I have nursed my baby everywhere and have never received one negative comment. It is not a common sight but noone really cares if you do it.

That being said, the French culture does regard breasts as sexual objects and French women tend to think that they should be kept for that and not for feeding a baby. When I was in the hospital after the birth of my baby, I asked my roommate, who had also given birth, why she had chosen not to breastfeed and she said that she didn't like the idea and that breastfeeding would ruin her breasts. This is not a uncommon response. It's just that breastfeeding is not perceived as being feminine (I know, how bizzarre is that!!). This is changing and now I think most women do breastfeed but just for 3 months max. The perception is that there is no benefit after that and French doctors will certainly not tell them differently.

The French are also very keen to see their children become autonome (autonomous) and this process starts early! Virtually all children attend at least half day pre-school by the age of 2.5-3 and full-time preschool (8:30 until 4 in the afternoon) by the age of 4. Only 12 percent of mothers here stay at home and it is perfectly normal to put your child in full time state-subsidized day care at 3.5 months. This is very different from the United States and does not create a culture that encourages extended breastfeeding.

[Ione]

The French Ministry of Health's National Nutrition Health Program has published a 70+ report on maternal breastfeeding (subtitled 'benefits for mothers and infants'). It is available in PDF here.

It is fairly pro-breastfeeding on the whole and is written for health and early childhood professionals, with the aim of promoting breastfeeding.

It ends with 12 "main messages" summarised at the end.

1 = there is no "bad milk" and that "all women" can produces enough milk of sufficient quality--if they "are confident/trust they can/supported".

2 = exclusive maternal breastfeeding for 6 months, when solids should be introduced. It specifies that there is no reason to introduce solids before 6 months. And states that breastfeeding "can continue up to 2 years or longer if the mother so wishes". (Earlier in the report, in a couple of places (two or three) it specifically states that there is no reason to end breastfeeding early and that there are no reasons not to continue "if the mother wishes".)

3 = "no matter what the reasons, psycho-affective, nutritional or environmental" breastfeeding is associated with positive benefits that it would be a shame to not provide infants with.

4 mentions the reduction in ear infections, respiratory diseases, etc.

5 = exclusive and prolonged (at least 6 months "exclusive" followed by BF + solids) BF reduces risks of allergies.

6 = reduced risk of obesity with BF

7 = need to supplement with Vit D & K and floride

8 = absolute "do not breastfeed if HIV+"

9 = OK to BF with Hepatitis B & C

10 = "very few medications" make it impossible to continue breastfeeding

11 = formally recommends against breastfeeding if smoking (cigarettes or pot), drinking, or taking (other) illegal drugs

12 = premees can be fed BM if they are supplemented (calories, protein, minerals)

That said, the reason they had to write the report, IMO, is that there is often (but not always) a rather breastfeeding-unfriendly (or just breastfeeding-ignorant) current among many pediatricians, nurses, etc.... and many daycare center workers/directors. Despite official policies stating that daycare centres can and must agree to feed expressed BM if the parents request that they do so and supply the milk, many refuse to do so. And the ones that do do so still have to follow official recommendations on storage etc. (which are not always logical--for ex. I would pump at work for DD, when I'd pick her up at daycare they could NOT take the day's output and put it in their fridge--I had to take it home, put it in the fridge there, and bring it back to them the next morning; they also had to dump it out if she didn't finish the bottle within the same 1/2 (I think) hour guideline that they had to use for formula).

[Firemom]

Not only was my dd nursing at the age of 5 and eating and drinking out of cups, but she was also playing on a basketball team. Gasp!

[MonkeyBoys Mom]

I'd be interested in reading the letters to the editor next month LOL