Formula only available by prescription...

[MarcyC]

I was talking with a friend of mine at church the other day. She actually my mom's age so her children are my age. She saw me giving the girl in the nursery a bottle for Jacob and said, "oh, I thought you were still nursing. Didn't you nurse Megan for two years." So I told her about Jacob's tongue-tie, lip-tie, high palate...all the stuff we've gone through. I told her that once or twice a day he will latch on, usually when sleepy, but he really doesn't extract milk and that I am pumping for him as much as I can, but I still have to supplement with formula.

She said that she nursed her daughter for 3 years!!! Then she said that her son had horrible allergies and projectile vomiting and the doctor (mind you her son is 42) had her switch to soy formula. She said, "I fed him something called ProSobee." I said, "yep...it's still available." She goes, "oh, it is!?" I said, "yep...it's everywhere." She said, "when my son was little, I had to have the doctor write a prescription for it and I could only get it from the pharmacist." Wow!!!

[RoadWorkAhead]

Are you saying its a good thing? Cuz coming from a mother of a child on prescription only formula, its a big old PITB to know that if her HHC forgets to deliver her formula (And its happened once already), I have absolutely no way of getting ahold of more food for her as no one stocks it since its prescription only. And starving a kid is never ideal.

ETA: Also, if you made all formula prescription only, then insurance would likely choose to cover none of it. SO then parents of children like mine, who will likely spend most of her childhood on a prescription formula that ranges in cost (Depending on provider) from 35$/can to 60/can would have to somehow figure out how to not feed the rest of their family in order to feed their seriously ill child. I know DD already goes through a can every 1.8ish days when she's at her recommended volume, and by 2-2.5 should be up to almost a can a day.

[rmzbm]

Yeah, I can't tell if the OP is saying it's a good idea or what...but prescription formula is a TERRIBLE idea. Way too many babies will be guzzeling kool aid and soda if that were to happen. Formula is not medacine, it is a milk substitute. And what a lot of stupid hoops moms who NEED it would have to jump through. Bad bad idea. All the way around.

[preemiemamarach]

Originally Posted by Kierdan'sMom

Are you saying its a good thing? Cuz coming from a mother of a child on prescription only formula, its a big old PITB to know that if her HHC forgets to deliver her formula (And its happened once already), I have absolutely no way of getting ahold of more food for her as no one stocks it since its prescription only. And starving a kid is never ideal.

ETA: Also, if you made all formula prescription only, then insurance would likely choose to cover none of it. SO then parents of children like mine, who will likely spend most of her childhood on a prescription formula that ranges in cost (Depending on provider) from 35$/can to 60/can would have to somehow figure out how to not feed the rest of their family in order to feed their seriously ill child. I know DD already goes through a can every 1.8ish days when she's at her recommended volume, and by 2-2.5 should be up to almost a can a day.

:

My DS is also on rx formula (the same one as K's DD) and EBM, and we are hoping after his upcoming GI procedures, we won't need it anymore- but we might. We are living on one income because my son's health prevents me from working at the moment, and this formula (not covered by our super expensive insurance) could break us at $500/month. We lucked into a free case from a contact at the health department, but if we hadn't, we would likely be cutting our own food budget severely (which would, in turn, decrease the amount of EBM DS gets). And my DH has a pretty good job- still, we're struggling to feed our child.

I have had patients who were fed kool-aid and cow's milk because mom and dad were unable to afford standard formula in the grocery store (usually they were in the hospital for massive GI problems and malnutrition). I cannot *imagine* what would happen if the 'prescription' aspect came into ALL formula sales!

[MonkeysRUs]

I think that having formula available by prescription only is a good idea, BUT, there would need to be huge changes first. In our current bottle feeding culture, formula by prescription only likely would be disastrous. If however, changes were made so that breastfeeding was again seen as the norm, doctors and other health care professionals were properly educated, and the proper support was available to all mothers, then I think formula by prescription only would be a good idea.
In an ideal world, formula would be available by prescription only, and it would be covered by insurance companies because it would only be prescribed if it was medically necessary.
I believe it is in Sweden that formula is available only by prescription, and it works well for them, but they also have a much more breastfeeding friendly culture.

Edited to add: Of course in an ideal world there would be lots of milk banks, and prescription formula would be reserved for those very few babies who can't tolerate breastmilk (for example babies with galactosemia).

[mytwogirls]

I just have to say thank God for formula and I am glad it is available for those families who really NEED it, it is great to have and I have no problem with it, but for me thank god my kids never HAD to have it so I was able to breast feed (although we are on day four of a nursing strike...GRRRRRRR)

[thixle]

Originally Posted by MonkeysRUs

I think that having formula available by prescription only is a good idea, BUT, there would need to be huge changes first. In our current bottle feeding culture, formula by prescription only likely would be disastrous. If however, changes were made so that breastfeeding was again seen as the norm, doctors and other health care professionals were properly educated, and the proper support was available to all mothers, then I think formula by prescription only would be a good idea.
In an ideal world, formula would be available by prescription only, and it would be covered by insurance companies because it would only be prescribed if it was medically necessary.
I believe it is in Sweden that formula is available only by prescription, and it works well for them, but they also have a much more breastfeeding friendly culture.

:

I think this is where OP was coming from...
That a milk substitute should be seen as medicine and used only when necessary, not as a parental choice. And most definately not so impoverished babies would starve to death or be fed kool-aid and sodas.
And since we are magically waving wands and fixing the culture, I'm sure WIC would be happy to supply vouchers or cases of prescription formula to those without insurance

[ThreeBeans]

I would love to see formual made by perscription only. I think formula could be tiered like most perscription drugs.

For example, standard formulas are out of pocket, where as two tier or tier three formulas (such as the medically needed formula the PP's child is on) would be covered by insurance.

I think reclassifying formula as the drug it is rather than the food it isn't, would go a long way toward normalizing breastfeeding in this country.

[Contrariety]

...I believe there are some Southeast Asian countries where bottles and forumla are only available by prescription. I think it's a good idea in a culture that is traditionally supportive of breastfeeding as a measure to stop elective use of formula before it becomes widespread.

But instituting something like that in our society would have to include a massive, massive overhaul of social custom, not to mention the impact it would have on economics. I like to think that, if properly educated and *supported* women would have no problem breastfeeding their children... unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that lots of women don't have breastfeeding support. They don't have the education, they don't have the experience, plus they have to go to work. I don't think it's impossible, but it wouldn't be just as easy as making formula available by prescription only.

[rmzbm]

This is really irritating me. I think every woman who CAN BF should. But making formula prescription only will harm babies. Period.

Some can't & some won't...making the child suffer is the remedy? C'mon. This is NOT lactavism.

[angelpie545]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

This is really irritating me. I think every woman who CAN BF should. But making formula prescription only will harm babies. Period.

Some can't & some won't...making the child suffer is the remedy? C'mon. This is NOT lactavism.

Yes..I agree. If the world were perfect, I could see how formula by prescription only *might* work, but the reality is in the world we live in that would be a terrible idea.

[rmzbm]

Originally Posted by angelpie545

Yes..I agree. If the world were perfect, I could see how formula by prescription only *might* work, but the reality is in the world we live in that would be a terrible idea.

Yup. People are assuming that it's either BM or formula. Um, no. LOTS of other options, all FAR worse than formula. If moms are going to FF, and they are, for the love of God, let the baby have the closest thing to BM they can get! Why make it harder?!

[MarcyC]

I'm the OP and I don't know how I feel about prescription formula. I just kinda posted this as an interesting tidbit.

I do wonder when it became widely available over the counter at all grocery stores. Is it like prescription drugs...I mean, like now, you don't need a prescription for zyrtec...it's everywhere and there are even generic versions now. Is that how infant formula started out? Does anyone know?

I see both sides of the issue...I guess I'm on the fence!

[RoadWorkAhead]

I think the reality of it is that 42 years ago, soy was newer thing. When a friend FF her DS about 7 years ago on Nutramigen, she had a really hard time finding it. I now see it in most groceries, Target, Wal-mart, etc. As more FF children are treated for colic and other issues, I think there has been an increase in stocking it on the shelves since its a fairly frequently needed product.

While I am honestly glad that DD's formula is considered "prescription" only and therefore insurnace pays for it, there have been a few times where its come down to worrying if we would have enough to make it to the next time i could get ahold of it when a shipments been messed up. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, and I think if a parent who is low income, low education levels, who is FF by choice was put in that position, cow's milk and kool aid would seem just fine. And that does no one any good!

And all this comes from someone who used to believe in prescription only formula...til I had a medically special child

[TinkerBelle]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

This is really irritating me. I think every woman who CAN BF should. But making formula prescription only will harm babies. Period.

Some can't & some won't...making the child suffer is the remedy? C'mon. This is NOT lactavism.

Amen to that!

To me, it smacks too much of "big brother".

And don't get me wrong. I feel that BF is what moms should do if at all possible. I think that more support for BF moms is needed, etc. But to make all formula by Rx only, would be a disaster.

[JessBB]

To me, a rough analogy for this might be illegal immigration. Almost everyone agrees that the problem of illegal immigration and border security in the U.S. is very bad. Likewise, all Lactavists and plenty of other folks believe our bf rates are abysmal and formula is way overused. In response to the immigration problem, some favor really drastic approaches (border fence, anyone?), while others say we should start by enforcing the laws on the books and then reevaluate the problem.

I think the same could be said for formula use and /or bf rates. Let's enforce the WHO regulations and state breastfeeding laws, pass some federal bf protection, regulate formula like a drug (for SAFETY purposes, not to limit access), force our employers to offer decent and humane maternity leave and pumping rights, and make all HCP's learn at least a thimblefull's worth of knowledge about bf. If we do that, and 70% of women are ff at 6 months, then we should bring out the big guns, i.e. putting formula behind the counter at the drugstore.

[rmzbm]

Originally Posted by JessBB

If we do that, and 70% of women are ff at 6 months, then we should bring out the big guns, i.e. putting formula behind the counter at the drugstore.

That is NEVER acceptable. No matter the %age...it needs to be readily available. Formula is not a perfect match for BM but it sure beats Dr. Pepper & Hawiian Punch!

This is not about mothers, it's about babies and their RIGHT to have acceptable food. They are absolutly entitled to BM. If they aren't getting it, for WHATEVER reason, they are entitled to next best. Next best is formula. And they are entitled to an adequate amount. They are also entitled for said formula to be readily available.

Too many are ALREADY getting watered down formula, cow's milk, etc.
Wanna compound the problem? This is a great way.

[songbh]

Originally Posted by ThreeBeans

I think reclassifying formula as the drug it is rather than the food it isn't, would go a long way toward normalizing breastfeeding in this country.

This statement disturbs me. Artificial baby milk IS food. It is consumed by mouth, digested by stomach and intestines, and contains nutrients that are usable to sustain metabolism and growth.

Foods can have both nutritional and medicinal qualities, to be sure -- human milk for sure falls in this category, what with all its anti-infective properties. But artificial baby milk cannot usefully be equated with the kinds of drugs that tend to be available by prescription only and classified as a non-food.

After all, what is the purpose of classifying something as prescription-only? It is to protect patients from misuse by keeping control of its distribution in the hands of doctors and pharmacists. Shifting control over the supply of the best substitute for human milk into the hands of our deeply flawed healthcare system is a fundamentally bad idea.

As anthropologist Penny Van Esterik has written:

How ... can politics have anything to do with breastfeeding? When health, profits, and the empowerment of women are at stake, how could politics not be involved? Extraordinary changes in the way power is allocated in the world would be necessary for breastfeeding to flourish in this world.

Normalizing breastfeeding requires solutions far more complex than making it complicated, expensive, and impractical to obtain artificial baby milk. We need to be empowering women, not putting even more power in the hands of an already breastfeeding-hostile healthcare system.

[rmzbm]

Yeah, I missed that. How is formula a drug? :

[JessBB]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

That is NEVER acceptable. No matter the %age...it needs to be readily available. Formula is not a perfect match for BM but it sure beats Dr. Pepper & Hawiian Punch!

This is not about mothers, it's about babies and their RIGHT to have acceptable food. They are absolutly entitled to BM. If they aren't getting it, for WHATEVER reason, they are entitled to next best. Next best is formula. And they are entitled to an adequate amount. They are also entitled for said formula to be readily available.

Too many are ALREADY getting watered down formula, cow's milk, etc.
Wanna compound the problem? This is a great way.

I'm sorry; I think my point wasn't entirely clear. OF COURSE I think babies should have formula far and away over anything that might harm them. All I meant is that we should use all the tools we already have to increase bf rates before we do something so extreme as limit access to formula.