Buying formula - London, Christmas Day

[noveltysocks]

Just realised after a 4am feed that we don't have enough formula to get our super-hungry, 10lb, three-day old baby through Christmas Day. Does anyone know where we can find some in London - N/NW postcodes, if possible?

I'm sure it'll be relatively easy to find somewhere in the morning, but appreciate any suggestions!

Just to add that those first days are an absolute nightmare. My milk didn't come in until day 5. We were all beside ourselves. Breastfeeding support was non existent, baby was starving, jaundiced, sleepy. It was a nightmare. We did give her formula out of a cup, but also thank God for the La Leche telephone line. Give them a ring if you want advice. They were brilliant.

YY Northern but the usual suspects can't help but bang their drum with their own 'helpful' agenda

Glad you found somewhere. Warman Freed in Golders Green is always open on Xmas day for future ref

It does sound like you are lacking in breastfeeding support, if that would be your preferred feeding method. MN has a lot of good advice on old threads if you are interested. Also, around 1/3 of women now have sections, so there will be lots of women experienced in feeding with a section wound. I can't really help with advice on that as mine was tube fed at that point so I was solely expressing.

YY Northern but the usual suspects can't help but bang their drum with their own 'helpful' agenda

Did you see the post where the OP said they wanted to try and carry on bf but that the gf was struggling with sitting up? Or where he thanked people for helpful bf advice? Blimey, some people seem to want to start a bun fight for no reason.

Has nobody told you that it takes 3-4 days for milk to come in? Baby is meant to be hungry in order to stimulate flow over the coming days. Supplementing now could destroy your partner' chances of breastfeeding.

People have told me and I've found it out for myself. Like most parents, we're keen to do what's best for our new baby and are well aware of how colostrum comes in first, followed by the milk.

It's all amazing and the sight of our baby breastfeeding from my girlfriend has been genuinely incredible, but it doesn't change the practicalities of our current situation.

I found plenty of places selling formula, for what it's worth.

So if ups know that it's normal and serves a purpose, why would you leap for formula?

*you

Hecantbeserious - its flipping Christmas Day (just). Why not give these new parents a break and let them get on with it as seems best for them right now?

Alhave you shares in SMA, lurker. 🙄

*Have

Happy Christmas OP and glad you found what you needed. If my son had been born close to Christmas I would have found myself in this situation too -things change fast when you're establishing breastfeeding.

Ok, I'm outta here to enjoy the rest of my Christmas. Thanks to all those of you who answered my question: I've genuinely appreciated your constructive and empathetic comments.

That said, I have no interest in taking part in a bottle vs. breast debate here, nor further explaining our circumstances in an effort to justify why we've chosen to fall back on formula over the last few days. I'll make my parenting choices: you're very welcome to make different ones for your offspring.

No shares in SMA, actually I breastfed my three dc for several years. I didn't have a c section wound and large hungry baby though. There's a time and a place for breast v bottle discussion and this isn't it.

Good luck op, I hope you've enjoyed your first christmas with your baby.

I just want to point out, some babies do actually need formula before milk comes in.

There was a lady on my ward who was successfully breast feeding, but her baby was constantly crying and would only calm down once she had a formula top up. And this lady was hardly inexperienced -she had 3 children.

I personally couldn't get my son to latch on successfully and so we had to do formula top ups.

People need to stop being so bloody judgmental and try doing some research before questioning why the OP needs formula.

Hecantbeserious maybe its just too much, maybe they are just too bloody tired, maybe she is in too much pain.

What I know for certain is op didn't ask for a debate on bf v ff.

Google biological nurturing. I had a CS and a big baby. Perfectly possible to BF.

I wasn't debating. I picked up that they were keen to breastfeed from the OP and was concerned that they werent aware baby was supposed to be hungry these first few days. It's rare that a mum doesn't have sufficient milk once feeding is established, regardless of birth weight, so wanted to make clear that using formula so early might just have a negative effect on their longer term plans.

(I used formula in the early days to clear the mucus from my baby's tummy. As the mucus made her feel full she had no instinct to suck. Combined with a forceps delivery that permanently dented her jaws we ended up expressing all feeds (once the mucus was clear) for the best part of a year.)

Sorry but making sure you have enough essentials should have been 1st priority.

A person who gave birth three days ago and probably only left hospital the day before hadn't thought through something they'd never had to think through before. Shocker.

Op you should be able to find a local open chemist

OP, hope you got it sorted. Merry Christmas and congrats!

For future reference there's a good pharmacy in Kilburn called Bliss that is open long hours - no idea if it was open Xmas day but it's possible!