How about making formula free on prescription?

[crimplene]

I've been wondering whether making formula free on prescription help solve some of the problems around the formula/ breast battle.

I'm sure this has been sugested before, but I'd be really interested in whether anyone else thinks it might help, or whether I've missed the point somewhere. I know it's not very likely to actually happen.

If formula were put in its proper context; it's there for when our bodies don't work properly for whatever reason (like insulin in bottles if your pancreas doesn't work properly) there wouldn't be any more stigma attached to using it if you need to than an antibiotic - but you'd only do it if you need to. There wouldn't be anything to be gained from promoting it to consumers and the packaging should be about as unglamourous as any prescription medicine. Parents using it would have to be given proper instructions on how to make it as safe as possible by the prescriber. There would obviously still be the difficulty of companies promoting it to doctors.

In this context, it wouldn't seem like a 'lifestyle choice' and that would have to level the playing field as far as bf is concerned. It would have the added benefit of getting the (couple of) mothers I've met recently who decided that the government vouchers go further if you spend them on cow's milk from birth, to actually give their DCs formula.

Or does anyone bf solely because it's cheaper?

Then you would have to prove that you needed it and justify why.

So no pressure on the mother, then?

I see your point too, but think its unworkable. What if you needed formula for the first time at 2am? Etc etc.

But the idea of an unbranded, fully tested formula, with proper information about its ingredients, safe preparation and storage, and possible effects on long term health, is one I would support.

When I had difficulties breast feeding my crappy Gp asked me 'why are you crying - formula is fantastic'. Not sure GPs knwo anything much about breastfeeding/ formula generally . Certainly nothing is taught about it in medical school. Think they would just sign a prescription to get you out fo the surgery.
Would probably make people think twice about bottle feeding though.

There are many many complex reasons why mothers make different choices with regard to feeding their babies.

Actually these reasons are none of your business (nor mine either)

For some women (as your op seems to acknowledge) their decision (and often they have no choice so it is not really a true decision) is due to a physical health problem. (either the woman's or the baby's health)

What do you think should happen to women who for emotional/psychological/mental health reasons feel unable or actually are unable to b/feed their babies? What about women who need to return to work prior to 6 months but are unable to express milk? These women (and countless others) would have to "justify" their choices or situations to a doctor.

I am actually quite frustrated by your post - at best you seem a little naive and blinkered.

no, no, no. women should always have the choice of whether to bf or ff, and should never have to justify to a gp or hv why they need or want fm.

Oh and what is wrong with a mother making a "lifestyle choice"? Obviously your lifestyle choice may not be to use formula milk. Other women have the absolute right to make the decisions they feel to be right for their babies.

and the problem with having only one formula for everyone is that some babies can tolerate one formula and not another. like most drugs you would need to have more than one type for one thing. i agree they should all be unbranded though.

do people really give their dc cow's milk from birth

cos doctors/GPs know fuck all about feeding babies.

I think that if someone didn't want to bf and thought they had to justify themselves to a gp/hv and there was the possibility that they might be refused then there might be an increase in babies that were fed cow's milk from birth.

And in areas where the local NHS were short of cash, it would be possible that woen would be told to Go Away And Breastfeed, without the support in place to enable the to do so.

Absolutely not.

Getting doctors involved in infant feeding is one of the reasons we are in the mess we are in!

Formula should be freely available at a fair price, just not marketed unethically.

women

It was just a thought. I know it's unworkable in real life. No I wouldn't really want to see any great difficulty or need to justify yourself to get formula - no more than getting contraceptives on prescription. The idea was that it would de-stigmatise those who need to ff for whatever reason.

I just had a horrible image of a baby screaming with hunger because the mum was unable to b/feed for some reason and couldn't get a gp appointment for several hours/days.

Also what stripeymama said

Don't low income families get it free anyway?

milk tokens ?

I know my sister did she had to give her ds's dob and he postcode and the chemist would give her a tin of milk .

I don't think it would work anyway --sorry

Mmm. My body my choice; that's my view of taking the pill - but I go and get it from the docs

blinkingthreetimes. No they do 'healthy start' vouchers now instead as the old milk tokens were thought to be unfair on bfers; so you can use them for formula, fresh fruit & veg and cow's milk...and funnily enough they go a lot further towards feeding the rest of the family if you don't bother to buy the formula

I thought that low income families could get it free/subsidised anyway. At least I assumed so as I have seen the receptionist and HV at my local surgery handing over tins of it to a couple of mums. I know that's not the point of your OP but I think that it is available from your surgery if you can't afford it.

I don't think it's such a stupid idea really (and certainly nothing to swear about), and I realise that crimplene was just musing. BUT before effectively removing freely available formula, we need to normalise breastfeeding, and have adequate support in place for all mums to breastfeed.

I would also agree that GPs are not experts on breastfeeding, not because they are lazy incompetents, who would be experts if they would only put the effort in, but because they, by definition, have to know a bit about a mind-bogglingly HUGE range of problems that people consult them about.

I think it would be more helpful to make sure that all the hospital and community midwives are experts, and don't give conflicting advice. If we then get as far as formula on prescription, your friendly local midwife could prescribe, if the need was there.