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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Right, clearly we don't pay enough already.....

45 replies

Fruitbatlings · 05/03/2010 22:26

for formula. I can't believe the price has been increased!
I noticed today.
I hate the stuff, never wanted to use it, I have no choice but to give it to my baby.
It's so bloody expensive already.
Fuckers
All I can say is thank god he'll be 1 in two weeks.
I dread to think how much it'll cost when I have another baby

Why it's not free on the NHS is beyond me.

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 05/03/2010 22:28

Because it would cost the NHS too much money I guess.

If you are on a low income, are you getting healthy start vouchers?

I do think though that they should make unbranded formula and sell it at cost price.

JollyPirate · 05/03/2010 22:30

Fruitbat - if he's one in 2 weeks then just buy cows milk from now. He'll be fine and you will save some money.

Busybean · 05/03/2010 22:33

if you have a condition, surely you can ask the docter for it on prescription?

Original poster
Fruitbatlings · 05/03/2010 22:34

Not officially on a low income. Not far over the line though! Not entitled to much I'm afraid.

I'm happy for there to be a choice as my babies only get on with one particular brand, other brands upset their tummies.
I just think they need to reduce the cost (a lot) or provide on NHS.
It just really angered me as I have no choice but to use formula. Especially as I hate having to give it to my babies. They should be drinking my milk

OP posts:
Original poster
Fruitbatlings · 05/03/2010 22:37

Jollypirate - do you think it's fine to give him cows milk now? I suppose it's only two weeks. He has a good varied diet as he's BLW so getting enough nutrients....

OP posts:
ImSoNotTelling · 05/03/2010 22:48

I would agree with jollypirate and say yes to cows milk. It's only a fortnight.

Original poster
Fruitbatlings · 05/03/2010 22:54

Thanks for that, will use up this carton then no more!

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 05/03/2010 23:20

Maybe there should be a few brands then, but not advertised and not sold for profit. (I am sure it's advertising that makes it so expensive in the first place, and knowing that people need to buy it and so will pay whatever it costs )

Just think in the third world it can cost up to a third of a family's wage to buy formula, when you think about that it seems cheap here.

gaelicsheep · 05/03/2010 23:31

Fruitbatlings - I'm with you on this entirely. Doesn't it just rub salt in the wound when you hate buying the bloody stuff to begin with? I'm hoping things will be different this time around for many reasons, but oh how I hope I don't end up contributing to these companies' big fat profits. Where there's a medical need it should be available on prescription, no question. I guess the problem would be identifying those cases, and making sure that GPs/HVs don't just get out the prescription pad instead of offering useful b/f support (not that they do anyway).

cat64 · 05/03/2010 23:32

This reply has been deleted

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gaelicsheep · 05/03/2010 23:40

I remember it being well over 6 quid a tin 3 years ago.

cat64 · 05/03/2010 23:46

This reply has been deleted

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gaelicsheep · 05/03/2010 23:50

It's a lot of money though when you're trying to keep a family and pay a mortgage on SMP and not much else (we just fell outside the low income threshold like the OP). I can't remember how much we got through, but it felt endless.

Original poster
Fruitbatlings · 06/03/2010 06:29

Do you know what? Having just checked old receipts, it seems it's been £7.25 for a while now which means it's been sitting over the wrong price tag on the shelf since I had DS2 nearly a year ago
I am absolutely certain the price tag on the shelf said 6 pound something. Weird....
Still, it is a lot of money when I begrudge buying the stuff in the first place. Everytime I buy a carton it feels like a kick in the teeth.
That's awful about the price of it in the third world - I should feel fortunate really.

OP posts:
gobsmackedetal · 06/03/2010 07:47

since you are due another baby maybe it's worth discussing this with your gp. My dd was exclusively ff, but it took us ages to find a formula that agreed with her. As I's always ask for gp advice to change her formula, she always happily prescribed them for me, I was surprised the first time, didn't expect it. It was these comfort type formulas, I don't know if that makes any difference.

Maybe it's worth asking though, since you know that you're medically unable to provide BM for your babies

ToccataAndFudge · 06/03/2010 07:56

I gave 2 of my DS's cows milk 2-3 weeks before the turned one.

Infact DS3 had semi-skimmed milk for the first few days as that was all I had in, I was unwell, had run out of forumla..........he needed something - he'fine

Original poster
Fruitbatlings · 06/03/2010 08:02

Oh I'm not due another baby yet but will definitely have at least one more at some point.
The problem is I self diagnosed my condition. Discovered it on MN actually then researched it.
I went to my GP when I first discovered I have it (tubular hypoplastic breasts) and I practically got laughed at. I produced pages of research, which she didn't even glance at and I begged her for medication to increase milk production but she wouldn't prescribe me anything. Just told me to feed more I'd forgotten I could magic up extra hours in the day so I'm feeding 32 hours a day instead of 24 and then maybe my baby will gain some weight (bitter? Me?)
So, I just gave her this look and asked her to prescribe me some formula as my baby would fail to thrive without it. She said no

OP posts:
farmerjones · 06/03/2010 08:04

age one is a guideline, not an actual bridge to be climbed. i gave my kids from about eleven months.
alos, try follow on milk. is slightly cheaper

Original poster
Fruitbatlings · 06/03/2010 08:14

Will be swapping to cow's milk once this carton has finished thanks ladies

OP posts:
anotherusername · 06/03/2010 09:02

This is why I think it should be on prescription, so people whom have had no choice and need formula for their babies can have it, it's not very fair on them to pay so much when it's a medical necessity.

LittleMrsHappy · 06/03/2010 10:27

I get ds on prescription, also couldn't BF due to his allergies? His milk is £16.50 for a small tin (450g) he needs 9 tins a month, he costs the NHS over £500 pm for his medical needs £280 of that is on formula it costs the NHS a fortune!

You can only get formula on the nhs if their is a medical need for it.

I would put him on CM, and not sure if you would like this,but the follow on milk is cheaper, if you believe you want to wait until hes over a year old.

foxytocin · 06/03/2010 10:36

Walmart in the US (read Asda) does their own brand formula. Costs around 1/2 the price of branded formula.

Original poster
Fruitbatlings · 06/03/2010 12:00

Nah, don't see the point on that 1+ milk, is that what you meant? As he's already on follow on (6 months+). I'm happy for him to have cow's milk once this carton has finished

OP posts:
farmerjones · 06/03/2010 12:36

meant the 6 months plus

Boogellyboo · 06/03/2010 12:45

The price of formula horrifies me, every week I look at it incase this is the week BF stops working for us and it seems so dear. I read recently that formula companies spend £20 per baby promoting FF which has got to be recovered somewhere, the government spend 14p per baby promoting BF apparently! Formula should be cheaper if women have to use it.