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Original poster

Which formula in France?

12 replies

shhhfloweryisnotreallyhere · 04/08/2010 10:59

I'm on a break but back for some advice!

We're off to France for a week, taking 3yo DS1 and 9mo DS2. What with both boys, pushchair and dog we're a tad short on space so would rather not bring vast amounts of formula with us.

DS2 is still having 5 milk feeds a day (as well as BLWing us out of house and home, no wonder he's enormous), and is on ready-to-feed SMA in 1 litre cartons.

Would he be ok on a different formula for a week? If so, which one in France would be best/most like SMA? Do they have any ready-to-feed formulas (formulae??) in cartons or will it need to be powder?

Or will it be a disaster and we need to take it all with us? I'm kind of hoping that because he's 9mo it might be ok not to - we took DS1 when he was 4mo and obviously took it all with us.

OP posts:
buttonmoon78 · 04/08/2010 15:58

You should be fine. They do ready made stuff which mine took to fine. In fact, ds was 4.5m when it was an issue for us. I'd taken enough for a fortnight but then due to car issues we had a 3 day unexpected stay at the end of the hols so he had no choice but to have French stuff. It's not the same brands as ours but it was all fine. I'd take a couple of lg cartons and make up bottle 5-6oz of yours mixed with new stuff for first one then increase the new to old ratio. He'll be fine!

Original poster
shhhfloweryisnotreallyhere · 04/08/2010 19:56

thanks buttonmoon

Do you remember what brand it was you used in France? We're going to stay with my parents so if there's something I can get them to look for in Carrefour before we get there that might be a plan.

OP posts:
Original poster
shhhfloweryisnotreallyhere · 04/08/2010 21:36

bumpety bump any more for any more?

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 04/08/2010 21:43

Can you post anything ahead of you to your parents address? Formula is VERY expensive in France, and all the brands are different. We went to stay with my sister last year, when DS was 10 months old, and I posted ahead some Hipp individual "cuppa soup" type sachets of Follow On milk (from Hipp website). This was not DS's usual formula, and I gave him a Hipp feed from time to time before we went away to get him used to it. He was fine. He was BLW at the time too, so he was having all sorts of flavours by then anyway. Although this may not be so handy with ready mixed formula.

I looked at formula when I was in France that time anyway. About 25Euros a tin of powder. And no brannds recognizably the same as in UK.

Original poster
shhhfloweryisnotreallyhere · 04/08/2010 23:42

Thanks for that BikeRunSki, that does sound really expensive! Could post ahead I guess, hmm, hadn't thought of that. Although obviously not his usual cartons, might investigate the Hipp or other sachets.

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 04/08/2010 23:48

Try posting on the Living Overseas topic. I might not be over in France in the next week or so (we live just over the border in Switzerland) or I would look for you.

I used to swap and change when we lived in Germany and travelled to UK. The DC coped fine with it.

buttonmoon78 · 05/08/2010 05:20

I forgot to tell you how expensive it was. Mind you, at the time, cost was the last thing on my mind! I can't remember though - it was one which came with 6 tetrapaks together, was about 15euros for that I think.

Othersideofthechannel · 05/08/2010 07:01

Hi
I have seen Sma in a pharmacie, but only the one up to age 4 months. I can't remember what format, stopped looking at baby milk more than about 4 years ago!
There's a pharmacie near my office. I'll look in there if I get a chance. When are you off?

Original poster
shhhfloweryisnotreallyhere · 05/08/2010 09:55

Ooh thanks everyone. Otherside I'm not leaving until Sun 15th so I've got a little while. If you do find yourself somewhere and can have a peek that would be much appreciated!

OP posts:
Othersideofthechannel · 12/08/2010 13:29

Sma is available in France, powder in a tin, from pharmacies. You can get '2eme age' which is for babies over 4 months. Neither of the two pharmacies I went in had any in stock but they said they could order it and it would be delivered the next day.
I realise just now I forgot to ask the price.
HTH

Icantbelieveitsnotbitter · 12/08/2010 14:07

We've just returned from France with our 9mo DD - we've decided the reason France is so beautifully underpopulated is because no-one can afford to have babies ! Nappies were ?15 plus, all the clothes are expensive, baby wipes - no 3 for 2 offers to be seen !!

We only use formula for mixing porridge or cooking with as DD is still BF. In the longlife milk section they had babymilk in little plastic bottles, for 9 months+ and it seemed to be vanilla flavoured ! That went down very well !

Definitely take enough nappies and wipes with you though !

marmadukesdad · 12/08/2010 21:58

We had terrible problems with formula in France - nothing that DD could keep down. We're bringing our own this time...

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