I wish it wasn't so easy to switch to formula

[soccerchic21]

So in the past week I have had encounters with two women who switched to formula because of difficulties. And I think they could have kept breastfeeding had they been informed or formula wasn't so easily attainable.

The first switched while at the hospital. Scheduled c-section (sounded a little necessary to have the surgery maybe not sure about the scheduled part) baby pretty small under 6lbs. Wouldn't suck. Switched. Pump hurt breasts. I offered an LLL meeting and my extra pump but not interested.

Second said her milk never came in but did say she had little drops coming from her breasts. Baby is 6 weeks old now. She did mention I was lucky that I could nurse and really seemed like she wanted to. I gave her some information. She said her mother's milk never came in either so I was worried she would just think that she would never be able to breastfeed. I told her that sometimes the second time around you will have more milk as in my case. Also said that even if you do have a little milk you can still breastfeed and supplement. She seemed very interested and thankful that I told her that.

I just wish that before you could get the formula there were steps to go through you know? Like see 2 LC's and attend a meeting or something I don't know.

[MarcyC]

Yep - even my peds. say that bottle feeding/formula should be a last resort after all other options have been looked into. My ob/gyn even did blood work to see if there was a hormone imbalance or thyroid problem that could interfere with bf'ing. I just feel blessed to have so much support and drs. knowledgeable about bf'ing. So many women don't have that.

[ruthieroo]

I've thought the same thing. What if you could only get formula buy prescription? Do you think that would make a difference or that doctors would just become really willing to write out a prescription? Just a scenario I was thinking about one night...because if for some strange reason I ever had to FF (noooo!) I, personally, would want to know for a fact that I couldn't and WHY I couldn't.

[orangebird]

i'm sure no one would have a problem getting a perscription. I wish a script was needed but it won't be a big deterrant, that is until all doctors are educated. even then i'm sure there would be plenty who think "bah, i've been taking care of ff kids for years and they are healthy normal kids..."

[soccerchic21]

I am not really a big proponent of formula by prescription. I worry that if it were the formula companies would jack up the price even more because less people would be buying it. Then I worry about the people who are poor and can't afford the high prices. Not everyone has medical insurance to cover the cost of prescriptions. Then more babies might get watered down formula or juice or kool-aid in their bottles.

I am more for education of the benefits of breastfeeding vs. formula feeding.

[wednesday]

Yeah, I have heard this idea about formula being prescription-only before, but I don't think it would help. Peple would just make homemade formula from Karo syrup and condensed milk like in the old days. I think commercial formula has got to be better than that at least.

[Ruthla]

I can think of 3 things that could go "wrong" with making infant formula "by prescription only."

1) Doctors would hand out formula prescriptions like candy- and then you'd have new moms saying "My dr wants me to formula feed- see, here's the prescription she wrote." I've seen new bf moms unthinkingly give vitamins the dr prescribed- a dr's rX for formula would undermine bf even more.

2) Some babies would end up on homemade formulas, or on whole milk before they were ready, if formula was harder to get ahold of.

3) There'd be an explosion in the market of "toddler formula"- infant formula companies would simply re-package their products and sell them as usual.


What I'd like to see is abolishing formula advertisements- no catchy ads in parenting magazines, no coupons or free samples, no formula-related promotions at the store. Then formula would be readily available for those babies who need it (and once lactation is inhibited, babies do NEED formula) but it wouldn't be interfering with bf so much.

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by soccerchic21

I am not really a big proponent of formula by prescription. I worry that if it were the formula companies would jack up the price even more because less people would be buying it. Then I worry about the people who are poor and can't afford the high prices. Not everyone has medical insurance to cover the cost of prescriptions. Then more babies might get watered down formula or juice or kool-aid in their bottles.

I am more for education of the benefits of breastfeeding vs. formula feeding.

So then are you not in favor of less people using it? Whether by prescription or education, isn't our goal for less people to use it? Lets forget about the presription idea for a minute, if we succeed in our goal there will be less buyers. Will they still jack up the price?

[orangebird]

I wish we would just accept the code like other countries have.

[NYCVeg]

Some countries (like India) have formula only available by prescription. I don't know a lot of details on this, but I think bfing is almost universal. Worth investigating.

I am not really a big proponent of formula by prescription. I worry that if it were the formula companies would jack up the price even more because less people would be buying it. Then I worry about the people who are poor and can't afford the high prices. Not everyone has medical insurance to cover the cost of prescriptions. Then more babies might get watered down formula or juice or kool-aid in their bottles.

The solution to this might be universal health care...rather than "cheaper" formula available OTC. I'm also not sure how this argument holds up given that, compared with breastmilk, formula is more strongly linked to a variety of health problems--diarrhea, ear infections, allergies--so for people w/o insurance it might actually be more expensive in the long run to treat the problems of ffing.

[orangebird]

And formula is riskier than alot of things they still sell by prescription only. The whole system doesn't make much sense. It's all a big business thing.

I don't know if prescription-only formula is the best solution, but it is an interesting discussion. Education is by far the best thing IMO.

[amydidit]

I have to give my DD formula and even I agree that formula should only be available by Rx, but there needs to be more than that... maybe instead of being available by a regular Rx, the whole system needs to be rethought... take doctors out of the loop... formula can't be prescribed by doctors... instead, give LCs the ability to write Rx's for formula (obviously only formula, though allowing them to prescribe dom would be ideal... that won't happen though ~sighs~).

I have to give my DD a supplement of formula due to a severe supply problem... undiagnosed bad latch and thyroid problems left me barely making any milk. I saw an LC when DD didn't gain weight for a month and thankfully she found the problem... I'm trying like crazy to increase my supply (pumping, taking supplements and dom, and still nursing), but I'm still only making about 50% of what she needs (which is MUCH better than before). In cases like this, I think formula should be available, but only after seeing an LC and while doing everything possible to get back to BFing. In addition to allowing LCs to prescribe for formula, I also think LC appointments should be covered by insurance. AND, in order to keep receiving the formula, the mom should be required to have periodic LC appointments. Unless it is determined by the LC that the mom has a permanent problem that will make it impossible for her to ever produce enough, the formula Rx should only be temporary.

Oh, and I think that LCs should work in conjunction with doctors offices, yet seperately. That way, if there is a need for mom to take meds that she BF while taking, the doc can contact the LC and the mom can get a Rx for formula.

Sorry my thoughts are so disjointed on this.

[wannabe]

I am not really a big proponent of formula by prescription. I worry that if it were the formula companies would jack up the price even more because less people would be buying it.

The answer to that would be banning advertising - then they'd save all that money! It works for prescription drugs.

Then I worry about the people who are poor and can't afford the high prices. Not everyone has medical insurance to cover the cost of prescriptions. Then more babies might get watered down formula or juice or kool-aid in their bottles.


The solution to this might be universal health care...rather than "cheaper" formula available OTC. I'm also not sure how this argument holds up given that, compared with breastmilk, formula is more strongly linked to a variety of health problems--diarrhea, ear infections, allergies--so for people w/o insurance it might actually be more expensive in the long run to treat the problems of ffing.

hear, hear!

[AmandaBL]

I wish mother's cared more. If it's something you care enough about, you'll do whatever you have to to seek out the info - regardless of whatever support you do or do not have & regardless of whatever difficulties you have. Look at moms of todlers with serious food sensitivities. Most of us have seen what they have to go through trying all kinds of diets & foods & treatments. They're on a constant quest for ways to make it better. If moms gave 1/10 that effort to breastfeeding, we'd have a dramatically reduced FF rate. Artificial milk SHOULD be by rx only. I agree that it would still be easy to get, but it would be nice to see it distributed with that freaking HUGE print out of side effects, allergies & the like.

[ruthieroo]

Originally Posted by AmandaBL

I wish mother's cared more. If it's something you care enough about, you'll do whatever you have to to seek out the info - regardless of whatever support you do or do not have & regardless of whatever difficulties you have. Look at moms of todlers with serious food sensitivities. Most of us have seen what they have to go through trying all kinds of diets & foods & treatments. They're on a constant quest for ways to make it better. If moms gave 1/10 that effort to breastfeeding, we'd have a dramatically reduced FF rate. Artificial milk SHOULD be by rx only. I agree that it would still be easy to get, but it would be nice to see it distributed with that freaking HUGE print out of side effects, allergies & the like.

That's so true...mothers need to care more. I guess that's why it can be so frustrating...how do you MAKE someone care?? You can't,really... And your mention of toddlers with food sensitivites made me think that the problem of extensive formula feeding has a lot to do with our quick "fix" society, treating surface problems instead of the underlying problems. Because I've known families where the kids are always sick, always are having breakouts of excema or similar skin rashes, etc. and the parents just treat the symptoms. They haven't looked into food sensitivities, instead they treat the outward signs of what probably are food sensitivities. It's that kind of attitude that, I think, probably leads people to just quit breastfeeding and start formula without a real need. It hurts. So let's not find out why it hurts (positioning? latch? thrush? just sensitive new-momma-nipples that will go away soon?), let's just stop doing what hurts. Problem "solved". I hate "bandaid" society sometimes.

Thanks for everyones thoughts on prescription only formula, a lot of good points being raised. I've just never discussed that with anyone before so it's interesting to see some possible pros and cons.

[soccerchic21]

Originally Posted by mara

So then are you not in favor of less people using it? Whether by prescription or education, isn't our goal for less people to use it? Lets forget about the presription idea for a minute, if we succeed in our goal there will be less buyers. Will they still jack up the price?

Well of course I want less people to use formula I just don't think that having it available by prescription is the best idea.

I think formula companies will always find a reason to jack up their prices because people are still buying the stuff. That is why I think focussing more on breastfeeding education rather than what we should do with the formula companies and how they sell their products is more helpful.

[TiredX2]

I would support some form of formula by perscription because it would make the health & financial costs of formula obvious to insurance companies from the beginning. Right now, since we do not have a single payer system, insurance companies have very little reason to cover "treatments" that produce long term health but no obvious immediate savings (even though there are studies that show that ffed babies are more expensive the first year of life--- think about the savings over a lifetime). BUT, if they suddenly had to pay for a year of formula, LCs would start looking *real* cheap. A good breast pump? Take it, please!!!! I mean, LC= $150, Good pump= $250, total $400. A year of formula could easily be triple that PLUS the less directly connected increased health costs.

Additionally, having something "by prescription" does not make it inheirantly more expensive. If anything, it would be less expensive because *hopefully* it would discourage as much advertising. Prescription medication is expensive because it takes a lot of $$ to manufacture and drug companies have to make their $$$ before their patents run out. Generic prescription headache medicines, for example, can be much cheaper than some OTC remedies. Making formula prescription would actually decrease the price for some people because suddenly they would only have to pay a co-pay, or nothing at all to get it versus full price now.

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by NYCVeg

The solution to this might be universal health care...rather than "cheaper" formula available OTC. I'm also not sure how this argument holds up given that, compared with breastmilk, formula is more strongly linked to a variety of health problems--diarrhea, ear infections, allergies--so for people w/o insurance it might actually be more expensive in the long run to treat the problems of ffing.

nycveg,

Same here.

Thank you.

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by amydidit

I have to give my DD formula and even I agree that formula should only be available by Rx, but there needs to be more than that... maybe instead of being available by a regular Rx, the whole system needs to be rethought... take doctors out of the loop... formula can't be prescribed by doctors... instead, give LCs the ability to write Rx's for formula (obviously only formula, though allowing them to prescribe dom would be ideal... that won't happen though ~sighs~).

I have to give my DD a supplement of formula due to a severe supply problem... undiagnosed bad latch and thyroid problems left me barely making any milk. I saw an LC when DD didn't gain weight for a month and thankfully she found the problem... I'm trying like crazy to increase my supply (pumping, taking supplements and dom, and still nursing), but I'm still only making about 50% of what she needs (which is MUCH better than before). In cases like this, I think formula should be available, but only after seeing an LC and while doing everything possible to get back to BFing. In addition to allowing LCs to prescribe for formula, I also think LC appointments should be covered by insurance. AND, in order to keep receiving the formula, the mom should be required to have periodic LC appointments. Unless it is determined by the LC that the mom has a permanent problem that will make it impossible for her to ever produce enough, the formula Rx should only be temporary.

Oh, and I think that LCs should work in conjunction with doctors offices, yet seperately. That way, if there is a need for mom to take meds that she BF while taking, the doc can contact the LC and the mom can get a Rx for formula.

Sorry my thoughts are so disjointed on this.

Amy,

Same here, totally this idea, don't have anything else to add to it.

Thank you.

[gentlebirthmothr]

Originally Posted by AmandaBL

I wish mother's cared more. If it's something you care enough about, you'll do whatever you have to to seek out the info - regardless of whatever support you do or do not have & regardless of whatever difficulties you have. Look at moms of todlers with serious food sensitivities. Most of us have seen what they have to go through trying all kinds of diets & foods & treatments. They're on a constant quest for ways to make it better. If moms gave 1/10 that effort to breastfeeding, we'd have a dramatically reduced FF rate. Artificial milk SHOULD be by rx only. I agree that it would still be easy to get, but it would be nice to see it distributed with that freaking HUGE print out of side effects, allergies & the like.

Amanda,

Well seen moms with toddlers have what you mention above, but still totally agree with you on this.

Thank you.