Infant formula... Prescription only?

Prescription Formula

Should it be available by prescription only or keep it the way it has been ever since it came available to the masses? Basically, I what I mean is when breastfeeding didn't work, and a mom has tried everything in order to be successful at it, or had a medical or other reason for being unable to breastfeed?

I'm all for prescription formula because then the breastfeeding rates will go up and formula rates will go down.

Re: Prescription Formula

Im 100% for formula going prescription only , personally i don't think mothers feelings should come into breastfeeding and every single woman should give it her best shot.
How any mother can choose to give there child an inferior product which in some cases can be harmful for there child is beyond me?

Sorry would add more but my 18 month old son is demanding his morning milk lol

Re: Prescription Formula

Why shouldn't a mother's feelings come into breastfeeding? I am particularly sensitive to this, as a mother who had big problems with it for lots of reasons (most of them out of my control). If my husband hadn't been able to nip to Tescos to buy some formula after watching the misery I was going through I don't know what we'd have done. A miserable mother can mean a miserable child.. I had great difficulty admitting my problems to anyone (particularly midwives) because of their reaction, so going to get a prescription would have been really hard and delayed things further. Giving formula certainly wasn't something I did lightly, believe me, but in some cases I believe it's the best thing to do.

Re: Prescription Formula

blimey hippy thats a bit harsh...surely the mothers feelings are key in the whole issue, if a mum isn't happy to bf and does under duress it will lead to poor quality of milk. anxiety, bad attachement/latchment, which are not good for baby. I agree every women should at least give it a go - but it simply isn't for everyone and I think by making mothers feel like failures it adds to an already highly emotional time in their lives. I say this as a mum who successfully bf all 3 of my children, but I am well aware of the failure some of my friends felt for whom bf was not right.
Happy mum = happy baby.
x

Re: Prescription Formula

Always guaranteed to be an emotive subject, and one I feel particularly sensitive about. Breastfeeding my son caused me to suffer such crippling depression that if I hadn't have been able to purchase formula there is every likelihood that I would be a suicide victim by now.

I wonder what my son would prefer; being fed an 'inferior' product, or growing up without a mother? Life isn't black and white, and it never ceases to amaze me the number of judgemental, narrow minded people there are in the midwifery profession. So many women are being let down by midwives with attitudes like this.

Re: Prescription Formula

I think making formula available on prescription only is a silly idea. I am a breastfeeding peer supporter and breastfed my daugher but not my son due to my own personal reasons. What happened to womans choice?? Should we also start making decisions for woman while they are in labour, for example deciding when WE feel they need pain relief.

Hippy I too think you are being very harsh and judging others by your standards and having formula fed my son find your opinions offensive.

Re: Prescription Formula

I really should not write these things when just up.

Maybe i was harsh and i never come across the way i meant to in these things.

Mothers feelings do matter , what i more meant was they should at least give it ago because it should be the babies choice and not just the mothers .
Nothing compears to breastmilk , and i don't understand how any mother can choose to give something other than it.

Re: Prescription Formula

It shouldn't be prescription only. How on earth would we 'police' who is able or isn't able to breastfeed? For one woman slight pain when latching on is enough for her to want to give up, that's her choice, others may continue to breastfeed despite that - do we advise the first woman she isn't trying hard enough?

How about those with psychological issues with breastfeeding, do they then get prescription formula? How do we know whether they really do have problems or are just 'faking it' to get around the law?

How about the cost of all this prescription formula that will be an added burden to the NHS? 2% of women may be unable to medically breastfeed but I'd bet that the rates of women breastfeeding would still be *a lot* higher than that.

Re: Prescription Formula

It would also make mothers feel like failures and could affect their mental health. What if they didn't want to get milk prescribed because of how society would view her but couldn't breast feed??