Just like to pitch in with an anecdote about Healthy Start vouchers, 
which I receive.  Mostly as a reflection on culture, and how deeply 
ingrained free formula vouchers are... but with a small rant too.

As a breastfeeding mother, using Healthy Start to buy milk for my 
consumption (it was all I could use them to buy until the recent change 
to include fresh vegetables), I have received negative, and belittling 
comments from supermarket staff consistently in the almost 3 years we've 
had them.

I've been challenged that I'm not allowed low fat milk for babies, and 
should be using them for 'proper baby milk'.  I've been told I'm not 
allowed to buy UHT milk on them.  I've been told they are for my baby, 
not for me.  I've even been told I'm not allowed to use them in one go 
to buy all that UHT milk, and UHT milk isn't good for babies anyway.  
Obviously, not everytime, but about 80% of the time I use them (monthly) 
I've had faffs and sending backs to managers to check if I'm 'allowed' 
to buy 'milk milk' with them - even 'though it's printed on the actual 
voucher.  All with daggers and looks of sympathy at my little boy - 
bless his little cotton socks, having such an irresponsible mother using 
his formula vouchers for her own personal gain or not understanding his 
nutritional needs as he's gotton older.  I'd probably be stoned if they 
knew that as a strapping toddler, he never gets any cow's milk anyway.

It's actually gotton to the point that we only use them when we go in to 
use them, if you know what I mean, as the stress of doing a proper shop 
and getting to the till for a protracted argument about what I can use 
them for... is more than my hubby and I could cope with.  Like when 
disabled parking spaces get swiped in front of you by the 
non-disabled... there is only so many times in a life you can be polite. 

The recent change to include veggies has made it easier - no one ever 
reacts to using the vouchers to buy veggies.  But you better believe 
they react when they see you buy plain old cow's milk with "formula 
vouchers".  Another breastfeeding mother I know of managed to swap hers 
for eggs and butter from her milk man, and so avoid the whole 'stigma' 
of NOT using them to buy formula in the supermarket.

On the plus side, when the change over occurred, the literature sent out 
by the UK Gov to explain to low-income mothers like myself how 
breastfeeding was the aim, and the vouchers were to support the mother, 
not the baby in that sense, was excellent.  They clearly place infant 
formula as the last thing you should use them for... and I imagine if 
they were to stop allowing them to be used for formula, some babies 
would end up on cow's milk.  Although, annoyingly, I've just checked 
mine, and the picture drawn on each coupon has... cow's milk... 
cauliflower... apple....bananas.... huge tub of powdered infant 
formula.  :-(  Hey, does that mean it breaks Code!?!?!?!? ;-)

Underneath the humour... just another indicator of how hard our culture 
is on breastfeeding mothers.

Morgan Gallagher

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