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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

What to do with unopened tins of formula?

22 replies

Tex111 · 07/06/2006 16:27

DD has a cow's milk intolerance and we've been through various kinds of baby formula trying to find something she can tolerate. I now have numerous unopened tins and don't know what to do with them. I asked the chemist and the GP and they both said that I should just bin them because they can't pass them on due to health & safety issues. Is there anywhere where I could donate the milk? Or any other suggestions would be great. Just can't bring myself to chuck it all in the bin. Seems such a waste.

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 07/06/2006 16:28

some people sell it on ebay. I doubt you would find a worthy cause able to accept it.

Original poster
Tex111 · 07/06/2006 16:32

I didn't pay for any of it. All on NHS, so wouldn't really feel good about selling it. Some of it is special hydrolysed formula so not for general consumption though I suppose it wouldn't hurt a baby who could digest cow's milk.

OP posts:
PrettyCandles · 07/06/2006 16:36

Why bin them if they're unopened and within sell-by dates? what a waste!

Is your HV a sensible person? If so, bypass the GP and ask her directly. What about women's shelters?

Kelly1978 · 07/06/2006 16:46

you could possibly sell it and then donate the money to charity.

tiktok · 07/06/2006 16:46

Make custard with it ?

GarfieldsGirl · 07/06/2006 17:04

Hiya Tex!!!

Have you tried a local womens shelter or something similar. I got rid of a lot of old baby food/unopened formula etc when O was a baby to the local Salvation Army womens shelter. They were dead pleased to have the stuff donated to them.

Original poster
Tex111 · 07/06/2006 17:48

Thanks for that GG and PrettyCandles. Will ring the Salvation Army and see what they say. If that's no good I'll speak to the HV next week. There must be something useful that can done with it. Such a shame to just throw it away.

OP posts:
Racers · 07/06/2006 21:17

www.freecycle.co.uk? you can get rid of any useable stuff on there - so long as you are saving landfill space, you can advertise it.

nicnack2 · 07/06/2006 21:19

custard tiktok?

julienetmum · 07/06/2006 21:52

Reputable organisations will not take donated formula. If I were you I should bin it.

tiktok · 07/06/2006 23:27

Custard can be made with it, or any other recipe that needs milk.

It's not ethical to give it away to a charity and no 'good cause' should accept it .

notanotter · 08/06/2006 00:00

I am sure someone needy could use them - where are you in uk?

babyonboard · 08/06/2006 14:09

why on earth is it unethical to give it away to someone who needs it?

anchovies · 08/06/2006 14:11

Can you not find someone near you on here who would use it? I'm also not understanding why it is unethical?

tiktok · 08/06/2006 15:05

Not unethical to give it away to someone who needs it, of course not - it's fine for an individual to give it to someone they know will make use of it.

It's not ethical to give it to a charity, is what I said, as they cannot ethically give it away (unless they are able to continue giving it for free to the same person (see WHO code).

That's all.

Original poster
Tex111 · 08/06/2006 15:28

After asking around I've found people to take the regular Aptimil and the WySoy but I still have four tins of Pregestimil, the hypoallergenic hydrolysed formula. I'll speak to the HV and see what she says.

Shame to waste the milk at all but I know that this formula is quite expensive so it seems a big waste of money too. By my calculation the four tins are worth about 200 pounds all together!

OP posts:
Original poster
Tex111 · 08/06/2006 15:28

Notanotter, I'm in SE London.

OP posts:
katzg · 08/06/2006 15:34

i don't think there is any reason why a non-intolrant baby can't have the hydrolyses stuff, DD2's consultant at the childrens hospital wishes that it was the standard formulation because it would seriously decrease the number of cases he sees

tiktok · 08/06/2006 18:33

Well, I would be very concerned about a baby who didn't need this stuff being given it - the US have refused to allow manufacturers to make health claims for it

\link{http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qhcwhey.html\see this letter}

because the evidence is it is not a useful way to prevent allergy.

It's foul tasting and smelling too, so maybe my custard suggestion is not good!

PrettyCandles · 09/06/2006 10:08

I didn't realise that you had prescription-only formula to get rid off too. Hideous as the waste of money is, I think you have no choice but to bin it. Prescription-only stuff is like medicine, and should really only go to the person for whom it is prescribed.

Original poster
Tex111 · 09/06/2006 14:31

Good point Prettycandles. Oh dear. Looks like I will just have to grit my teeth and chuck it. Such a terrible waste, particularly since it's NHS money.

OP posts:
TinyGang · 09/06/2006 14:45

I know this seems a weird suggestion, but if you really can't find a taker, could an animal shelter use it for feeding sick baby animals?

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