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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find this absolutely shocking?

56 replies

NotSayingImBatman · 14/05/2015 14:18

I've just been informed by my local food bank that they don't accept donations of formula milk because it 'may change feeding trends in the local area'.

They provided me a print out of the UNICEF statement regarding this, which also states that providing an incorrect type of milk could be harmful to a young baby, however I fail to see how 'nothing' could be less harmful than 'something' when it comes to infant nutrition and don't see why they couldn't ask for one particular brand and ensure the age range was correct when handing it out. I live in an area with high unemployment and low BFing rates. Now, I don't want this to turn into a BF/FF debate, I have experience of both and am still BFing 10mo DS2.

I'm also aware that those already 'in the system' so to speak, have access to healthy start vouchers that I believe can go towards formula milk. But what on earth is a mother who has, say, lost her job suddenly and has no income - to the point she requires a food bank in the first place - supposed to do if her baby needs feeding?

It would be impossible to reestablish a supply quickly if the baby were more than a few weeks old, particularly if that mother had never BF. I'm all for promoting that breast milk is great, but should we really be allowing this to blindly continue in food banks?

I know some will say the milk could be tampered with, but so could any food donated to a food bank. Has anyone else experienced this? Or is my food bank alone in this?

OP posts:
SilverBirch2015 · 14/05/2015 16:03

Infantilising people in the UK, started when benefit sanctions were introduced. The need for food banks to ensure people don't starve means that horse has bolted long ago.

BeyondDoesBootcamp · 14/05/2015 16:05

Those talking about healthy start vouchers. I have been trying to get them since December (apartantly, even though i had £0 income, my DHs earlier income was too high so not eligible til april. So applied again, and it is now nearly june...). If the logic behind no formula is because of HS, they clearly have no experience of the shoddy thing. Angry

NRomanoff · 14/05/2015 16:05

Infantilising people in the UK, started when benefit sanctions were introduced

I would argue that this sort of thing started way before sanctions.

soapboxqueen · 14/05/2015 16:06

Notsaying I don't think it's an attempt to infantilise anyone. The reality is, food banks would not be able to secure the same formulas week on week since they rely on donations. Swapping formulas every week or few days is not good for babies.

I think most people in the situation of going to a food bank wouldn't refuse formula even if it wasn't the right one.

The unicef guidance also states that the food banks should know where to send families to get support.

A better question is, what support is available eg prescriptions /vouchers etc

BeyondDoesBootcamp · 14/05/2015 16:06

*apparently

soapboxqueen · 14/05/2015 16:09

.... Or maybe formula donations should be held centrally and sent out to local food banks on request...

... Or maybe food banks only accept one brand?

Timetodrive · 14/05/2015 16:10

I help at a food bank and we do not accept formula but we do work closely with other agency to ensure the parent recieves the correct and appropriate formula for their child.

SoupDragon · 14/05/2015 16:10

breastapo

Oh do stop sprouting offensive crap.

LomaLinda77 · 14/05/2015 16:11

Another diehard breastfeeding advocate here (for 18 months and for 2 years) and I agree that this is ridiculous.

Acknowledging that some babies are fed
with formula and ensuring that they can continue is only sensible to my mind. A mother who wants to BF is not going to be swayed by the availability of formula at the food bank FFS Hmm

I wish people would stop seeing BF vs FF as a way of judging people and simply acknowledge that we all want to feed our babies in the best possible way for them AND us.

Timetodrive · 14/05/2015 16:12

Also the persons being referred will already of had contact with an agency who would prioritise formula whilst sorting the food bank application.

SoupDragon · 14/05/2015 16:13

Our local food bank website has a picture of what appears to be infant formula but doesn't specifically say whether it accepts it or not.

I think the reasons given are crap but I can perhaps see why it wouldn't be as much use to the food bank as other foods. I guess they are more after basics that everyone would use.

SilverBirch2015 · 14/05/2015 16:15

I don't think this is a Bf versus Ff discussion.

SoupDragon · 14/05/2015 16:15

I don't know what the general split of people using a food bank is but perhaps those needing formula are a very small number.

Nibledbyducks · 14/05/2015 16:15

When DS1 was born I was FF as BF had failed, (DS1 was almost admitted to special care as he wasn't feeding), I was also being right royaly messed about with a benefit claim, this went on for three months. My health visitor had to steal formula from the local hospital milk bank for the last month as our savings had gone and family members had already done all they could. So no, you don't get formula on prescription, and I only got the situation sorted by ringing social services and asking them to take my baby as I couldn't feed him, (thankfully the social services phoned the benefits agency and we got our payment the next day). What a ridiculous policy!

thatstoast · 14/05/2015 16:20

I had an unopened box of formula when DS moved to cow's milk and I donated it to my local women's refuge. Got a text about an hour later saying it had been distributed. I'm sure there would be a similar organisation in your area who are able to help.

LomaLinda77 · 14/05/2015 16:20

Silverbirch I was referring to what the OP was told: "because it 'may change feeding trends in the local area'."

That sounds like a FF vs BF value judgement to me. And it sounds like nonsense.

sparechange · 14/05/2015 16:25

Swapping formulas every week or few days is not good for babies.

Do you know what else isn't very good for babies? Not being fed because the foodbank didn't have anything in.
Or being weaned too early or onto cows milk because that is all the mother can get.
It is a really shortsighted policy, and clearly driven by philosophy rather than experience (our local food bank accepts formula)

Chunkymonkey79 · 14/05/2015 16:28

Yanbu. This is pathetic.

Anybody who regularly buys formula for their infant knows what is most suitable, why do they think food bank users don't know which formula they need?

Surely they could just have a separate formula/baby section to go to, and ask if the type they need is in stock. Doesn't need to be brand specific does it? Just have stocks of standard milk, comfort milk, soy based, follow on, etc and keep all separate. Surely having it in stock is better than not Confused

Surely the best way to avoid formula that has been tampered with is to only accept tins/packets that's have a obviously not been opened yet. I.e still has the foil sealing the tin.

I also highly doubt food banks stocking formula milk will encourage mothers not to breastfeed anymore than every fucking supermarket selling it!

Chunkymonkey79 · 14/05/2015 16:30

In addition to my last post I bet some people would end up feeding their babies cows milk out of desperation to stop them going hungry.

sparechange · 14/05/2015 16:30

I've actually just checked on the website for my local foodbank and they've got a note saying that "due to kind donations, we currently have large amounts of baby food and milk so do not currently need these items" so clearly there is a big demand for it and plenty people willing to donate.
I'm not a huge fan of the church that runs it, but at least they have more sense than to use those unicef guidelines

SoupDragon · 14/05/2015 16:42

so clearly there is a big demand for it and plenty people willing to donate.

It sounds like the are lots of people willing to donate and low demand to receive it.

soapboxqueen · 14/05/2015 16:46

Spare food banks don't get to choose what people donate. They don't get to choose which type of formula. Our local food bank is very small and independent. They don't get enough donations to have a mini supermarket of 'formula choices'.

The issue is not whether food banks should have formula or not. It's how can the issues be addressed so that ff babies don't go without. The very fact that you think ANY formula is better than none is exactly the point. People in desperate situations will take whatever is on offer even if it's not right for their baby because better an upset tummy than no food.

I think it's better the correct formula is distributed on an as needed basis rather than whatever is on the shelf.

As I said before, maybe formula could be held centrally so the correct formula could be given as needed. Maybe a food bank voucher will get milk from the health visiting team automatically or maybe a local pharmacy. Maybe cash donations to food banks could be used to buy vouchers so that people could buy the correct brand.

sparechange · 14/05/2015 17:08

It sounds like the are lots of people willing to donate and low demand to receive it.
Other items listed as fully stocked and not currently needed are rice, pasta, baked beans and soup, so I think these are things that people have just donated a lot of recently, and they don't want to take up too much shelf space with one thing, or risk it going off by taking donations faster than they can give it out

sparechange · 14/05/2015 17:11

soapbox
I get that there is probably a better way of doing it, but that isn't being done. And there are no plans to do it. So it isn't like the foodbank is saying 'we can't take it at the moment until the national distribution network is up and running'. Unicef has gone as far as to issue fairly draconian guidelines to prevent any such thing from ever happening...

And as you said, "People in desperate situations will take whatever is on offer even if it's not right for their baby because better an upset tummy than no food" so I am pretty sure this rule means a lot of babies are getting cows milk or baby rice or something else that isn't suitable for them.

soapboxqueen · 14/05/2015 17:21

Spare it wouldn't take a whole network to give vouchers for baby milk though. Our local food bank accepts cash donations so it could be used for that.

Also these are guidelines not the law. Some food banks are following them, others aren't. So maybe in the interim it would be better to lobby at least the larger food banks to not follow the guidelines until a better system is in place.

I agree though that this is a bit cart before the horse.