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Emergency formula recommendations?

post #1 of 27
5/1/10 at 3:20pm
Thread Starter 
Hello, all,

My 5 mo old DS is EBF, and we plan to keep it that way. But we are heading out on a road trip, and we would like to have some formula just in case, for that worse case scenario. I plan to bring a pump, and we should always have some breastmilk in the cooler. But that will last only so long if something really bad happens.

I haven't done a single lick of reading about formula since I thought I would never need it. DH and I are really into preparedness, but I really dropped the ball on this one. If something happens to me, DH wants to be sure he is providing DS with the next best option.

So my question is this:

Do y'all have any recommendations on formula for breastfed babies?

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post #2 of 27
5/1/10 at 3:25pm
I consider myself a fairly prepared person, but it would never have occurred to me to pack formula for a road trip just in case.
post #3 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TanyaS View Post
I consider myself a fairly prepared person, but it would never have occurred to me to pack formula for a road trip just in case.
Same here.
post #4 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:35pm
Road trips are perfect for bf'ing. No bottles to sterilize. No storage issues.

That being said, I would not want to discover an allergy to formula while away from home. If you do choose to use formula I would suggest a trial at home.

I would encourage you to continue to breast feed on your trip and have fun!
post #5 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:43pm
I don't think the OP means to NOT breastfed, rather, if something *tragic* happened to her, what would be the best options for her DH to offer to her DC. I worried about this until my LO was eating some solids.My DH was informed to find donor milk if something happened to me.
post #6 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TanyaS View Post
I consider myself a fairly prepared person, but it would never have occurred to me to pack formula for a road trip just in case.
Me, either. What a hassle! And we got married all the way cross country (IL to AZ drive) with two toddlers and my 5 month old. Two week car trip-no formula or bottles. If something tragic happened...there'd be emergency services and it's likely baby would be in the hospital, too. I'd worry about that then.
post #7 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:48pm
What *tragic* thing is more likely to happen while on the road trip that is not a concern at home? ???
post #8 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:53pm
I'm definitely wondering why you'd need it.
post #9 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:54pm
If something tragic happened to you, have your DH ask the hospital for a sample of what ever they have got.
post #10 of 27
5/1/10 at 4:57pm
Yup. If tragedy were to strike, the hospital has ready-to-serve formula and nipples.
Have fun on your road trip!
post #11 of 27
5/1/10 at 5:32pm
Op mama I think like you. A freak storm happened while my SIL was gone to pick up her older kids. It was supposed to be a 5 minute trip. Her DH was left at home with a screaming hungry baby. Roads blocked, power out, landlines and cells overloaded or down. There was no running to the store to get some formula. Turned out she was only gone an hour but it was hell for her DH. He had no way to know if she was under a tree. This was at home where they knew where everything was. On the road where you don't know anyone or where the nearest store is?

Anyway, I swore I would never put DH in that position. For an emergency supply that will likely go bad before you need it does it matter what brand you use? I handed DH one of those samples and told him to put it where he'd remember in a crisis. It remains untouched.

I've been reamed before for telling this story. Maybe you need to hear my normally quite BIL tell the story with tears in his eyes.
post #12 of 27
5/1/10 at 5:43pm
Yes but what would one sample do? In that case (depending on baby's age), why not just some water or something?

Masel, that must have been scary. I live in IL where that sort of thing happens a lot, as well. Especially right about now when tornado season hits (last year we had 2 major floods). But you have warning 99% of the time and if you're at home...why not pump and freeze instead of buying & storing formula? I can't imagine having a mother leave a screaming hungry baby to pick kids up.
post #13 of 27
5/1/10 at 9:04pm
Moving to Life with a Babe.
post #14 of 27
5/1/10 at 9:24pm
Quote:
Yes but what would one sample do?
Sample cans of powdwered formula will make about 50 oz, which would last you a day or two, depending on the age of the baby, whether or not they're eating solids, etc. 36-48 hours is a long time in disaster recovery.
post #15 of 27
5/1/10 at 9:38pm
I had an emergency in which DS1 ended up having to be formula fed for 12 hours. I came down with something that hit so hard and fast I was to weak to hold him, much less nurse, and I had no stored milk as we were in the process of a move and I was in our new town, the milk was in our old town. It was a very scary day, I ended up stumbling over to our new neighbors, and they took care of DS (DH was packing the rest of our stuff up in the old town.) and took me to the ER. My key for our new house didn't work, so my neighbors BF broke in and got a can of formula a friend had given me for "just in case".

Every baby is different, and one formula may work while another won't. My advice would be to ask your pedi for a recommendation. I just wanted to share my story, to explain that I understand your thought process.
post #16 of 27
5/1/10 at 9:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by notjustmamie View Post
Sample cans of powdwered formula will make about 50 oz, which would last you a day or two, depending on the age of the baby, whether or not they're eating solids, etc. 36-48 hours is a long time in disaster recovery.
The samples I was always given were for one bottle.

All I'm saying is, if you're planning ahead-pump and freeze, right? It's something you know your baby can have-with formula you never know. Especially if they've never had it before.
post #17 of 27
5/1/10 at 9:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kittywitty View Post
The samples I was always given were for one bottle.

All I'm saying is, if you're planning ahead-pump and freeze, right? It's something you know your baby can have-with formula you never know. Especially if they've never had it before.
I think her concern stems from being out of town on a road trip, where she would only have access to milk pumped and stored in a cooler, rather than a freezer stash.
post #18 of 27
5/1/10 at 9:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kittywitty View Post
The samples I was always given were for one bottle.

All I'm saying is, if you're planning ahead-pump and freeze, right? It's something you know your baby can have-with formula you never know. Especially if they've never had it before.
The samples the big formula companies send are small cans. I've gotten dozens.

How exactly is she supposed to transport enough frozen breastmilk to last as long as a can of formula? They are on a road trip.

OP, I would honestly just buy a can of Baby's Only and hope I never used it. Alternately, Meyenberg powdered goat's milk could work short term. You have no way to know if your child is one that can't tolerate regular formula.
post #19 of 27
5/1/10 at 10:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeminijad View Post
The samples the big formula companies send are small cans. I've gotten dozens.

How exactly is she supposed to transport enough frozen breastmilk to last as long as a can of formula? They are on a road trip.

OP, I would honestly just buy a can of Baby's Only and hope I never used it. Alternately, Meyenberg powdered goat's milk could work short term. You have no way to know if your child is one that can't tolerate regular formula.
Guess it's been awhile since I've gotten any! I never got any with my last kid (in 2007) or with this pregnancy.

Of course for a long trip, frozen stashes aren't very handy, but the stories were all home emergencies, first of all, that I was responding to. And...

The OP said she was bringing a pump and some breastmilk in the cooler anyway, so I don't see why formula is necessary. If it was that bad, then, like I said, you're probably at a hospital and they will have some in that situation, surely, or you are close to a store if god forbid anything happen that would take longer than a 5 month old's supply of stashed breastmilk. Formula is soooo expensive and plus there are bottles and such to think about. I just want to reassure the OP that it's unnecessary and save her the worry and hassle of such a thing.
post #20 of 27
5/1/10 at 10:11pm
I agree with kittywitty on that last part.

For at home though, I have a package of bottles with "Emergency Bottle Instructions" in the cupboard. I have a freezer stash, and we are literally a minute walking distance from formula selling stores. I'm not going to buy formula because in a crisis my Dh would likely default to formula- a few scoops, water, shake, done. Whereas with freezer milk he'd have to put the bag in a ziploc, then defrost, then put in a bottle.... Both are about an equal amt of work but my DH hasn't done the breastmilk version yet.
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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Parenting › Ages and Stages › Life With a Babe › Emergency formula recommendations?