To wonder why the GP is making it so hard for me to feed my baby?

[hereismydog]

DS is 3mo and has CMPA. He was EBF until he was 8 weeks old and then I had major surgery and post-op infection which caused my supply to drop and it never quite recovered. We moved to combi feeding as trying to continue EBF was physically and mentally exhausting for me as he was feeding up to 20 times a day. Both he and I are much happier now that he is BF on demand, with CMPA formula top ups.

The problem is that his GP will only prescribe ONE 400g tin of formula at a time, so I am submitting a request for the next one (online pharmacy) before his order is even delivered. There’s been a delay this week so his delivery is 5 days late and I’ve had to ask 111/his GP twice for an emergency prescription. I’ve asked on both occasions if they could maybe prescribe more than one tin and it is never actioned. I’ve gone from being incredibly anxious about my own milk supply to being anxious about his formula supply, and am now finding that I have to ration his formula and go back to an exhausting schedule of almost constant breastfeeding and pumping, which is pretty isolating as I can hardly leave the house!

Surely this cannot be usual practice for prescribing formula? If not, how can I get them to listen to me and issue more than one tin at a time? He is also supposed to have been referred to a dietitian, which has seemingly not been done as I haven’t heard anything.

My sister has the same problem. It’s ridiculous.

I’m not sure if it is true, but I heard this was due to people selling extra tins basically.

I’m sorry you’re in this situation though. I ebf and expressed for a long time and it’s hell.

Shouldn't be the norm at all, my middle child had cmpa (outgrown now) and I was given 20 tins a time!

Years ago I had to pay £200 to get myself a "float" of Neocate, so the once a month prescription had a buffer. It's crap. I have to do the same now with HRT.

Speak to your practice manager and arm yourself with NICE guidelines. My friend had the same issue and she got told its because it costs £50 a tin. Where me were on neocate and had no issues getting enough each month. Good luck x

Have you asked in person or through your GP repeat prescription system?

I use our GP messaging system for my son's repeat prescription, and I'm pretty they just ignore everything I say in there, like the quantities. I think they just click "renew" from the original prescription. They're supposed to give me 3 months worth, but as my son is growing older he needs a stronger dose and what we get now barely last a month.

I had the same and had to complain to the practice manager. After that I was prescribed 13 tins at a time, whenever I asked for it.

Gosh. I had similar issues 12 years ago with getting DS's supply. One memorable occasion I actually rang the children's ward at the local hospital as I knew they had some. I was that desperate - he was solely formula fed by that stage and I had enough for one more feed. I could hardly let him starve. It was absolutely bloody ridiculous. I feel for you.
Children's ward did actually help us and we collected enough to see us through to the next day when his supply finally arrived. Ugh.

I work in a GP surgery and if you find you're getting through them quicker you just need to ask for more. If you request on the app or online just add a message explaining that you get through however many tins at once and would a month's supply be able to be issued. It sounds like you use an online delivery service, it might be worth asking for it to be sent locally instead as you can pick up much quicker then. All surgeries are different but if we get a request and it doesn't need reviewng we process them that day and they are sent electronically to the pharmacy that day, if they have stock they would also be issued by the pharmacy the same day.

I had the same issues and put a formal complaint in. They put 4 tins on repeat after that

This is bullshit.

I had this initially... so went in and spoke to reception who were horrified.

once sorted I was getting 4 at a time of alfamino then increasing to 8 when ds was 4 or 5m or so.... (when he was doing 210ml x 6 per day) at 10m we "started milk ladder" 🙄 and switched back to pepti 1 which is 800g tub and we got 4 x of these at a time.

Go in to the surgery in person and e plain yogr had surgery and your baby is hungry and as you are basically having to ration his milk and drag your injured body down tovthe high street to do a repeat prescription every 2nd day and it's nonsense as you will need milk for the next 9m so can they resolve please

As I said in my OP, I have asked for more (on the phone, via email AND in person) but they don’t listen. That’s why I posted this thread.

I use the online pharmacy because the formula he has (Aptamil Pepti 1) isn’t in stock anywhere locally. He’s been issued Nutramigen twice this week as an emergency but it’s making his reflux worse.

Argh it’s so stressful isn’t it. My daughter was on high calorie formula and once when she was coming up 12m they only had it in stock in 35ml bottles, the ones they give newborns. They gave me a pallet of those which was enough to last about 2.5 days 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

I don't know what else to suggest then, we get requests like this all the time, we send them to the GP and if they refuse we call the patient to let them know. I've never experienced a gp saying no requests for more formula though. I would try to talk to the practice manager.

That is ridiculous..an 800g tin is 31 pounds on Amazon, so its not exactly in short supply.

Many pharmacies don’t keep baby milk in stock as there’s many different brands and storage space can be an issue but it can usually be ordered into a branch within 24 hours.
If I were in your shoes I’d speak to the GPs prescription team to ask for a bigger quantity, we usually issue around 2400 grams per prescription.

This is terrible advice. Not everyone can produce enough for their baby, even without surgery to recover from! This poor woman has been through an enormous amount and putting pressure on to increase supply won’t help.

Write to the practice manager and explain your concerns and how it’s causing you stress to worry about the formula supply. They have to reply in writing.

Did you miss the part where I explained that endless breastfeeding and pumping was having a negative effect on my mental health? My baby needs a rested, mentally healthy Mum more than he needs to be EBF.

It’s shit like this that made me cry with guilt for days when I first started giving formula supplements.

Might be worth asking your health visitor for some help.

Once we have people established on the ‘correct’ one for their baby I usually ask them how many tins they use in a week, double it, add a contingency and issue that.

Means it’s not got a huge waste if switched etc but also not always having to order etc.
People do sell it.
Ive also seen fb posts of people asking for emergency supplies / lots of replies with people having 20+ spare tins….what a waste of money.

Either ask for a appt With practice pharmacist if they have one, or email in with how much you use in a week.
it’s in my interests to issue correctly and reduces my workload recurrently issuing.

You should not comment

Honestly I’d try two things. Get your partner / husband / baby’s dad to ring them. Weird. But dear god the number of times they’ll listen to him and not me.

complain to the practice manager and undue stress. Your baby will only need more and not less formula.

That’s ridiculous, have you made a formal complaint? My GP was able to prescribe a 3 month supply when we were going on trip, it’s hardly appropriate to withhold milk for an infant.