Non dairy formula help

[franjanu18]

Hey.

Most of my friends and colleagues sadly had to use cow formula during their first days breastfeeding.

I'm super allergy to it and have no consumed dairy for over 23 years and also against the idea. So I also don't want to feed my newborn it either.

What other options do I have?.

I realise this is a last option (in hopes I don't need it)

Your friend couldn't breastfeed so gave formula.

You want your child to have dairy free formula? You can't get dairy free formula without a prescription. it's £47 a tin and a baby can get through 3 a week.

I'm not in the UK so I'm not much help but I'm sure you'd be able to get dairy free formula without a prescription. I used formula to top up and was able to find dairy free options easily.

Don't be hard on yourself if you have to use formula. Breast isn't best, fed is.

Dairy free formula is very expensive and doctors are very reluctant to prescribe it! From my experience, a lot of doctors are sceptics about dairy allergies and just brush the symptoms off as reflux and baby eczema.

I doubt you will find a doctor who will prescribe you a tin of it ‘just in case’.

I’m sure I have seen it mentioned though that you can buy it yourself online but I don’t know if that’s true.

You can buy Neocate online, but it £40 a tin and they get through a lot a week. You’re looking at over £3k for 6 months worth of milk.

Drs won’t prescribe it unless baby has a dairy allergy.

If you want to breastfeed, get as much knowledge and research under your belt before giving birth, so you’re well informed and things like cluster feeding, nipple pain, mastitis etc etc don’t come as a surprise.

If you want to breast feed. I'd ask the mw about collecting the premilk before giving birth. That way you'll not need to give a formula top up. Also push for early expressing if you think you'll need to give. A top up

Just because you’re allergic to it doesn’t mean baby will be. In fact even more reason to give them dairy so they don’t develop an allergy, you’re more likely to cause them problems if you don’t. But you won’t necessarily need top ups either.

You're really best off NOT giving formula in the first days of breastfeeding as it disturbs the natural process. Your baby will have a stomach the size of a marble. Your breasts will produce colostrum which is the best thing for your baby. Your baby will feed OFTEN in order to summon your milk (each feed is a "demand" signal) which will come in a few days later. Using formula means your breasts "miss out" on a "demand" signal from a feed, and therefore supply less milk. It is very rare for a baby to lose such dramatic weight in this period that you would need to formula feed. A quick google will tell you all you need to know about vegan formula in the UK - it's not really readily available.