Stupid advice from those who should know better

[ZGT Mummy]

This is more a vent than anything, but just wanted to get this off my chest somewhere where it'll be appreciated.

I've just been on the phone with my cousin. She is still breastfeeding her daughter who is 21 months. She doesn't have a problem with it.

She told me that both Plunket and PAFT have been on at her to wean. She said the Plunket nurse told her that her milk was no good for her daughter and that she should be on cows milk by now.

There are several words I'd like to add in at this point, but not knowing whether they are within the rules of this forum or not I'll refrain.

I can't honestly figure out how people like that can be in a position of great influence over first-time (and subsequent) mums. My cousin has me and a small dose of common sense (plus all the info I gave her when she was preg with her DD) so it's not too bad for her. She also witnessed first hand how good it is to still be BF her DD when she got a bug a few weeks back and had terrible vomiting and diahorrea, ate nothing, but still breastfed so got through it in 5 days. But what about all those other mums who follow the advice given? Makes me so angry.

My cousin wasn't really sure what to do, she said she was just too honest with them. I told her to buy her a bit of time she can use the defence that the WHO recommend BF at least till 2 years old. After that she can either tell them to mind their own business, or go underground as I know many do. Either way, she knows she has my support.

I just hope she doesn't have any pressure from others closer to her such as her hubby, MIL or our aunties who are spinsters but apparently know everything about raising kids :eyeroll:

Just my vent for the day. But I should be elsewhere doing something more constructive. Alas I am too tired tonight to concentrate so am just going to have this bleat instead :D

[magical1]

Easy...

There is no law that says she needs to listen to either of these two institutions. She should just stop listening to them and tell them she no longer requires their service.

Plunket is a load of rubbish and so I didn't use them at all for my second. They were scaremongers of the worse sort and underminded my ability to think for myself.

Tell her to front foot them and see them back down. They are bullies of the worst kind.

IMO.

[3monkeys]

Easy...

There is no law that says she needs to listen to either of these two institutions. She should just stop listening to them and tell them she no longer requires their service.

Plunket is a load of rubbish and so I didn't use them at all for my second. They were scaremongers of the worse sort and underminded my ability to think for myself.

Tell her to front foot them and see them back down. They are bullies of the worst kind.

IMO.

Yep, totally agree....... and lets not get started on how neutral they are. Sponsored by Watties and Huggies............. yeah right :rolleyes:

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

You can say what you like. I have an allergic reaction to words which are normally bleeped out of radio and TV, but have no problem with some of the medieval type insult throwing, which is a much richer more inventive type of vituperative verbiage. :D

Frankly both organisations have their heads where the sun doesn't shine.

I'd tell her to run away, quick, and post a permanent in perpetuity trespass notice against both.

[Spy]

I would (and I did!!!) just fire them, period. Professional incompetence. If they ask why - simply tell them you missed the moment when your child stopped being a human and became a calf. Honestly, I did fire the Australian version of Plunket nurse the moment she demonstrated that she knows of no difference between the milk of two species. And she didn't even make a peep about weaning! Or I would have complained much higher and make it a lot longer and nastier. I simply didn't come back as I realised there is nothing she can be helpful with, for me, as she is simply incompetent (and so is the entire organisation, MT is correct). And the samples of 'baby food' on her desk, ironically, by one and the same specific brand, spoke volumes, I just wasn't interested.

Bottom line - we THINK that they should know better but is this true? Their purpose is not to know better, hasn't been for many years. Their purpose is to market the crap of those who pay (and knowing better doesn't pay, as we all know). And the sooner we realise this the sooner we will see the bigger picture and stop looking for things in the wrong places.

Well done to your cousin for having a brain of her own. ;)