Soy Formula in France

[dooks]

We have a six month old daughter who is allergic to cow's milk protein and has been happily on Wysoy (SMA) soy formula for a few months now. We are going to France (Dordogne) in September for a few weeks and I was wondering if anyone knows if Wysoy or equivalent is widely available? Do you have to get it froma chemist? Also, are soy yogurts etc available? Any info would be appreciated.

dooks - if noone else answers, Ill have a look for you this weekend, as Ill be in France.

Soya yogurts - alpro brand are available from supermarkets as is soya milk. Some larger supermerkets have an allergy section where you get get lactose free products.
For the formula milk - you can soy formula - don't know the name but it would be on sale at a pharmacy. Could ask the pharmacist for a recommendation or make an appointment to see a pediatrian or general doctor in the area you're staying to get a recommendation.There is often a local health centre & appointments are same day - no waiting!! You'll need to pay the doc in cash (around 25-30 euro) - can claim back with health insurance papers.

There is a soya formula called prosorbee which you have to order from a pharmacy. The soya milk sold in supermarkets is not very good for babies. If you are staying in rented accommodation perhaps you could ask the owners to order some for you. There are limited soya products in the supermarkets but nothing like the UK.

OK dooks ... I did a random check in a small town in eastern France.

The pharmacy had no soy formula in stock, but said they could order it. The supermarket had soya puddings in the unrefrigerated healthfood section, also soya drinks and tofu, but nothing specially for babies.

In the refrigerated bit, there was a Danone product called something like "Bio au lait et aux extraits de SOYA" and another one called "Bio aux extraits de SOYA"
Both of these at first glance could have been taken as soya yoghurts, but in fact they were cows milk, with some soya stuff added. So better read the labels carefully!

In general, the worst thing I find about the otherwise gorgeous cuisine of France, is the obsession with cows milk and the belief that it is good for you at all costs. Im also cows milk intolerant.

If you're going by car, maybe better to take some formula with you, as the French one may taste different anyway? though quite possibly better

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Hi...I just replied

If you get really stuck you could go to a health food shop and buy almond milk. When babies come off soya formula this is much better for them tham cartons of soya milk (according to my French GP who thinks that cows milk is poison).

I did this with my daughter who is almost 7 and has never had an antibiotic in her life, my healthiest baby by far.

Take the formula - it is her most important nutrition and way too risky to go without.