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A hospital in the UK has caused quite the ruckus for a campaign trying to coerce new mums to breastfeed.

The campaign featured two pictures telling women they could be a “yummier mummy” if they chose to breastfeed over giving formula, as reported in The Sun.

Amanda Abbington, an actress from Netflix’s Safe, was shocked and revealed how disappointed she was with the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital posters.

She shared the two pictures to Twitter, with the caption: “Hey Chelsea and Westminster hospital. Sit down. Thanks.”

The first photo featured a slinky purple dress, with the slogan: “Be a yummier mummy. Breastfeeding mums get their figures back sooner.”

While the second showed a pair of stylish red heels, with the caption: “Be a yummier mummy. Breastfeeding mums don’t have to spend their money on formula milk.”

There is also a third picture as part of the campaign, which displays a small blue clutch purse saying: “Breastfeeding mums carry less baby stuff around with them”.

The images were featured in the hospital’s newsletter saying:

“The Trust has also launched the Yummier Mummy publicity campaign to promote the benefits of breastfeeding for not only babies but also women in a fun, innovative way.

“Examples of the eye-catching posters used to promote the Yummier Mummy campaign are pictured.”

Mums Were Outraged

Women were outraged and were quick to react to Amanda’s tweet, with one person saying: “Adverts like this don’t help at all.”

Another commented: “Because cracked nipples, mastitis and chronic sleep deprivation makes you yearn for 5-inch heels and a mini dress? I mean…what?”

And one reader was disgusted: “Wow as if there isn’t enough stigma around not breastfeeding. Now a HOSPITAL is doing it? Gross.”

What do you think of this advertising campaign? Tell us in the comments below.

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  • Just make sure that your baby is thriving. Do what suits you best. Breast feed or bottle feed. The formulas are so well made now a days that your bub will be fine.
    I was lucky enough to be able to breast feed all 3 of my kids. For me it was perfect as I was Miss Lazybones and didnt want the hassle of having to make up bottles and such. It worked for me.

    Reply

  • I dont think we need to call it ‘coercion’ to breastfeed. Although I do think the ads are in poor taste, the yummy mummy part is unecessary.

    Reply

  • I did an antenatal class at a hospital and it was “breast is best” and 100 reasons why including you baby will have a higher IQ (how do they measure that anyway??) I was worried maybe breastfeeding might not be an option as for some, it just doesn’t work for whatever reason.

    Reply

  • It’s a bit over the top. I get they’re trying to encourage breast feeding, but I don’t think this is the way to do it. It wouldn’t make me want to switch from bottle to breast anyway

    Reply

  • They may think it’s a way of increasing Mum’s to breastfeed but it’s actually discriminating against Mum’s who can’t breastfeed due to no fault of their own. Were these put together by a sexist?

    Reply

  • Sack the person who suggested this campaign as well as the manager that approved it. Completely out of touch with reality! Bet they were men.

    Reply

  • Stupidly out of touch, the very last thing you’re interested in doing in the months after giving birth is squeezing your tired, aching self into a dress and heels. I get what they were trying to convey, but how could they miss the bad taste this was done in? Mums need support, care and understanding not this thinly veiled judgement telling them to get back into shape and beautified asap.

    Reply

  • Shoes and dresses? Really? I don’t really understand yummy mummy

    Reply

  • Ooh, no way, no thanks. No okay, not appropriate. Who is the nonsensical person who created this, and then approved it?

    Reply

  • That is a lie and brainwashing people. Disgraceful!


    • what part is the lie? Its in poor taste but its technically correct.

    Reply

  • Going about it the wrong way. Lactation consultants assisting Mums in hospital would likely have far better outcomes.

    Reply

  • A misplaced advertising campaign if you ask me.
    I’m all for breastfeeding, but this is not the way to encouraging women to do so, this is putting people down. Not ok. When you want encourage, do it with respect and leave people the choice (and sometimes there isn’t).

    Reply

  • That is just putting more stress on women have people not realised by now that fed is best…some people lose well gut with bf but I have knew others that put on weigh…..and others who lose so much weigh it affects there health.

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  • I agree if you can then you should BF. What about those that can not BF due to man reasons. Yes I lost weight when Bf and had to find another to keep it off. No new mum is going to carry a clutch as you still need all the other baby products needed to help with baby when out.

    Reply

  • Do you think perhaps they meant yummier in reference to breastmilk? So a mother producing breast milk is yummier, because they have milk that is tasty for a growing infant?

    Breast feeding is becoming less and less of a priority and some woman don’t even try, from a medical perspective it’s building your babies immunise system IMgA is pasted through breast milk so maybe that makes it yummier?
    Realistically all the hospital is doing is promoting breastfeeding…

    I can appreciate that some are sensitive towards the topic as medications, medical conditions, low supply- to name a few – create hardship and remove the opportunity for some to BF.
    We all have hardships as mums, my first baby I struggled to BF, 7 weeks it took to get him to latch…I was exhausted. The second one though not an issue she came out starving

    Reply

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