To panic buy my babies milk.. because of panic buyers?

[WhatDoIDooDIoDtahW]

DP thinks I’m being unreasonable. We both think all this panic buying is way over the top and we’ve shopped as normal (except not being able to find toilet roll and pasta)

But I went out to get a tin of my babies milk yesterday and there is none anywhere. All out of stock. We usually have one open and one in the cupboard. But we’re nearly done with the current tin and will be moving into the spare tin in a couple of days. I said to DP that if I do manage to find some I’d like to have 2 or 3 tins in the cupboard spare. She’s getting through it much faster now she’s on 7oz and I’m starting to worry that when it boils down to needing some I won’t be able to find it and DD will go hungry.

I even said to DP that maybe I should try breastfeeding again (had no supply so had to put baby into formula) but I’m not sure whether I’d be able to make enough if any at all.

I hate all this panic buying.

Online shopping won’t help as they just pick from the shelves so if none there won’t help. Try ordering off amazon. If you have a pump you could try and get your supply going again, get baby to suckle too. It’s not impossible

I would keep 2-3 weeks worth in but no more. That way you don't need to worry about running out but also aren't depriving others too much

They should certainly limit the amount people can buy no,if they haven't already. I'm due my second baby in next couple of weeks, and can't find any of the hospital packs of formula any where. I'd like the hipp as with ds we tried him on that many but hipp suited him best, so I did want to start this baby on the same to begin with. I didn't have any milk of my own come in at all with ds so would really like formula to take in with me. It is a worry. I just hope the panic buying calms down now and they limit the amount people can purchase. There's enough for us all if we just buy what we need. I think having two weeks worth of formula in is certainly a good idea, I can see why you'd want to have extras in though. My babies not yet arrived, and already its a worry.

I've got a 9 week old and have four boxes at the moment. I started buying one with every shop as soon as people started to panic buy as I had a feeling it would become a problem....if we run out of anything else we will manage, but formula...

Don't feel bad, needs must

I’ve PMd you @WhatDoIDooDIoDtahW

My baby is four months old and formula fed. Re-establishing breastfeeding is the most ridiculous thing I've heard so far today at least!!

I normally have one box open and one in stock, she gets through about 1.5 a week so I now have two in the cupboard and one open, but I am worried that it will go out of stock - I had to go to three supermarkets at the weekend.

You'd be silly NOT to get a few extra in. You can live without loo roll or pasta. Your baby can't live without milk.

I've got an extra two stashed in the cupboard, and am off to get a third today. I don't really care if anyone judges me to be honest.

DD is on HIPP which is currently up to £40 on Amazon..!

If I was formula feeding I would prioritise it over everything else, but also attempting to re-lactate isn’t the worst idea in the world either!!
Also if you have a breastfeeding friend, she might have milk going spare if you get that desperate. I’ve already given a few bags of my frozen breastmilk to a friend who couldn’t get her baby’s formula yesterday

You're not BU to get a stash in BUT you must stop judging other people for doing the same thing. Chances are they're having exactly the same thoughts and feelings as you are.

We really need to stop this divide where other people stocking up are selfish idiots but when you do it you're just looking out for your family..

I thought this was going to be about using it in tea/breakfast and was fully prepared to say YABU. But with it being for your baby? Christ, get what you need. When my youngest was on them I’d keep two boxes in the cupboard at all times because I had a hungry little monkey who loved the milk.

So with people going nuts, get what you need. Pharmacy down the road from me has plenty, so maybe try private pharmacies

Boots do a pre order service that comes from the warehouse and you just collect in store

Wilkos sells baby milk but usually only puts two on the shelf and the rest are in the security cupboard as they are a high theft item.
If there are none on the shelf it is worth asking them to check.

I probably would. People are panic buying because people are panic buying. When mine were tiny I’d always have two tins anyway. One open and other full one then I’d buy another when I opened the full one. I like to have at least 2 of everything - calpol etc even way before this panic.

We’ve just been having a town wide search over social media for a tin of baby milk for a local lady with a 4 week old who hasn’t been able to get any anywhere. Get what you need if you can get your hands on it x

@moonblood - what milk does she need? I’d love to help find necessities for others while I look for my own.

I’ve bought an extra tin the last few times I’ve been shopping, I feel no guilt over this.

Nappies, wipes, food for the rest of us we can all get inventive and muddle through as best we can.

But formula is the only thing my baby can eat until he’s old enough so I think it fair and reasonable to ensure I have enough to sustain him for a two week isolation period. He is on 8oz so goes through a tin a week.

I did also buy a big nurofen, and a big calpol because we were low and with four kids in the house if they all get poorly we’ll steam through what we already have in two days.

Everything else I’ve bought as normal and as needed.

@WhatDoIDooDIoDtahW She was looking for cow and gate first milk, but has some now. Thank you for your kindness and I hope you get what you need ASAP x

2-3 weeks supply of baby milk isn't panic buying. 100 loo rolls is panic buying. In your shoes, I'd do the same.

Hey, just thought I’d mention that if your baby is on normal first milk then it’s fine to switch brands to another first milk. If they are on a anti colic/reflux/comfort formula then it’s fine to switch to standard first milk as there is limited evidence to support their use. Obviously if your babies milk is on a prescription then you’d need to speak to the prescriber if you are having trouble sourcing it.

So if you baby is on for example Aptamil first mik they see if you get hold of C&G, SMA, Mamia ect instead.

I'm with you in my thinking.
However, I'm struggling to get some items now. I feel guilty but have decided I need to stock up a bit. I'm not going mad and buying whole baskets of a single item but I am getting a few extras. I'm trying not to panic just because everyone else seems to be. We must, surely reach a point when people have reached saturation and the shops will gradually restock a bit.

For example, we're okish for loo rolls for a while but I haven't seen any in the shops for over a week so I will probably pick up a packet or two if I see them.
I noticed that our cereal brand was low in stock on the shelf so I took a packet when I would normally wait until the one at home was nearly empty.
I'll probably get a few tins of corned beef when I would normally only keep one in the cupboard, a couple of bottles of oil rather than just one.

It's horrific all this madness, I had to hit 3 supermarkets before I got my hands on some wipes, I genuinely needed them as I had one pack left (my own fault for being unorganised 🤦‍♀️) but I feel my hand is being forced by other panic buyers, especially with things for my baby! But all the baby aisles in the supermarkets are ransacked 😭

Hope you get sorted

YANBU. In the shops this morning they were limiting people to 2 tins, some bloke was trying to buy 12!!

There is an option to re-lactate, and it may be a good idea, not for all milk, but a small amount to give your baby an immune boost. La Leche League have information on it.

I would buy two if you could - it’s hardly panic buying or stockpiling. Unlike these fuckers who take 8 tins. Or 36 rolls of loo roll ( like I saw this morning) - he said he was just buying ‘in case’.

Yanbu. Your baby needs milk. No one needs 50 loo rolls or 12 packets of pasta.