Substituting powdered milk for Baby Milk Formula

[Anxiouslywaitingfortheend]

I can't believe what i am hearing.. people are actually buying baby formula milk as powdered milk has became unavailable to buy leaving mothers with babies (including myself) frantically trying to find formula for their little ones. How can people be so selfish? Whats the most horrendous thing youve heard due to Covid-19? Im worried, massively about not being able to feed my baby.

IF people are doing this then they are seriously thick because formula is rank (from an adult perspective - Im sure the babies all love it).

I'm more concerned about the amount of functioning adults that read something on Facebook and lack the capacity to consider its authenticity, a worrying amount of people have spoken about this on here today.

Oh FFS how many more stupid threads?

I think @MNHQ should delete these threads tbh

I have trouble believing adults are drinking formula. Have you tasted that stuff. Even just smelled it. Things haven’t gotten that desperate yet.

I suspect the shortages are just people buying a few extra cans. When everyone does it, the shelves run out. Can’t blame them. Babies have to eat and I would be making sure I had at least a couple of weeks worth if I had a baby who needed it.

i dont believe wgat i was told either as it was vile but shop assistant was adamant, i just want to get her milk for her

@bemoreeverything who are you talking to? im saying what i got told, now dont start being nasty. If yoh have nothing nice/helpful to say then dont say it. No wonder theyres so many people with mental health problems and feeling suicidal when people still talk to peoole like piece of shit.

@Thoughtlessinengland can you stop being so patronising, please?

At my local supermarket there was no baby milk, i asked the cashier why.. he proceeded to tell me this. I then wrote a post here on MN as i was shocked, disgusted and worried about finding my childs milk.

As i have said, i have went to over 20 different stores, her specific milk is nowhere to be found. All online stores, including boots are saying that her specific milk is unavailable to buy at this current moment. Also, as i have said, she is not just on any regular formula, she is on a special formula for her reflux, which makes it even HARDER to get hold of, hence why i am extremely worried.

I regret posting, i honestly expected people to be kind in this situation and actually attempt to give me some helpful advice. Not say "bollocks" or whatever else which is currently not helping my situation as whether its bollocks and people are stock piling and it isnt true is still not helping me find my child bloody formula.

Op try corner shops they usually have it. I couldn't fine any formula in the supermarkets or in Boots but managed to find two in corner shop near my house.

@Watermelontea thank you for your helpful advice, unfortunately nothing else works for DD and she projectile vomits everything up. This formula is the only thing she manages to keep down. Had originally tried the gavison for period of time before then trying her with this formula. I am just so worried

@tigerwhocametoT the cornor shops have regular formula but not the reflux one she is on, its driving me mad!

My dd is severely allergic to cows milk and soya. To old for formula but not growing. Been told she needs 3 bottles of oat milk a day. Three quarters of a carton. Its impossible to buy pretty much. I suspect people who have it as a preference to dairy have stockpiled. We are going the daily dash. Today none. The day before yesterday 2 cartons. Sainsbury were delivering to my neighbour later but now have none. It's so stressful. Have tried hazelnut which she cant stand as they had a carton. What do we do? I dont know how much they'll make. I've started rationing her and shes very upset😬😩

@GlamGiraffe Honestly, i know exactly how you feel. I literally can't sleep worrying about it, im constantly stressed out about running out (which will be soon) and not being able to find any! Why are people so selfish? I can't afford to stock pile and now my baby is left without! Its scary how many shops ive attempted to find it in! Have you asked everyone you know to keep an eye out for you?

@Anxiouslywaitingfortheend
Did you ask a small pharmacy to order you some on? If you pay in advance they normally will. Hood luck.
You could try one of the thickeners in the formula otherwise. I believe that's what a lot of the reflux ones contain (like carob bean gum- maybe health food shop?? - I'm sure there are others. They help the milk stay down).

@glamgiraffe you can make oat milk very easily at home. Can you get oats and do you have a blender/processor? Then you can make it easily.

@GlamGiraffe thats next on my list to do to ring chemisf. I can't use thickeners, i have no idea why but DD is so sensitive to everything to so with her milk and projectile vomits off everything. The only one milk she has ever kept down is this specific milk. I want to cry. Good luck to you also

Sorry about typos on this thread, i have had 5 hours sleep in the past 48 hours due to DD being unwell and my eyes are now blury with tiredness

@Anxiouslywaitingfortheend
Get this eln.nutricia.co.uk/product-info/cow-gate-instant-carobel-from-birth/ to add to ordinary formula it's what makes it anti reflux. What formula fo you have?

I'm not sure that people are doing this really but I'm due our first baby this week. It is my plan to breastfeed and I haven't bought any formula 'just in case' because normally of course, you can just go out and buy some, even at 3am if you need to. I mentioned to my husband that it might be worth buying a tin due to the shortages and he said 'why not, we can always use it as powdered milk if we don't end up needing it' 🤦🏻‍♀️..... I quickly advised him of why we absolutely would not be doing that.....
So I don't think the OP is totally wrong that this is something that people consider is some weird capacity.

@GlamGiraffe Aptamil. Thank you

@Sallysshoes finally.. thank you! I genuinly believe that the people who are apparently doing this have no idea how disgusting formula actually tastes. Glad you told your OH off, thank you

Sorry but how would the cashier know what people are doing with the products they buy? Is he questioning people? What's next - "are you really going to eat that cucumber or is it for bedroom use?"

Even if he has seen, for example, an old person buying it, and thought "well they clearly don't have a baby", they are more likely picking some up for grandchildren or friends.

@1300cakes RTFT

Surely it’s time or the government to bring in rationing for certain items.

@GlamGiraffe more adults than you think have milk allergy/lactose intolerance so use plant milk alternatives. Unfortunately even without panic buying people normally buy 6-12 cartons at a time. Where I live there are 5 supermarkets within a 3 mile radius and in normal weeks they can sell out of specific plant milks for up to 2 weeks at a time due to how people bulk buy them.