Unfair - formula for newborns....(kinda long)

Mrs_B_Sept08

Seeing the coupon post below made me wonder. Is the US government as unfair in relation to newborn formula as Holland?

In Holland they're very VERY pro BF, and I agree. If its possible its very good to BF your LO. But there are also loads of women (like me) that have tried BF and that it didn't work out. So our only option is formula. 

Here's how Dutch government handles newborn formula:

a) formula is ridiculously overpriced (10euros for 1 can which lasts a little shy of a week). The only good thing would be that you get massive saving points, since the price is so high, right? Nope, you can't get saving points since of course you need to be "punished" for not BF your child. Saving points fall under the "advertisement law" which is not allowed for new born formula...
b) Formula manufacturers are not allowed to advertise for newborn formula, only for 6 months & up formula. So you can hardly find any good information on which brand of formula is best.
c) Also, the newborn formula is NEVER discounted. All discounted/coupon formula is for 6 months and up....again, the "no advertisement for newborn formula" is to blame for this....

 Sorry this turned out so long, but from time to time I get really upset about this. It was not my choice not to BF S. And even if it was....it was my choice to make. So why make it so difficult for formula feeding moms, its not like we're worse mothers than BF moms!

***stepping off of my soapbox now***

Anyone making it to the end of this post deserves a (virgin) margherita

ludyjanboltz

Question - what are saving points?

I don't think that the US is anywhere near as harsh your government.  I had tons of free formula before Caroline was even born.  Similar and Enfamil both had programs with my doc office and the hospital and gave out diaper bags with them in them.  Both companies were also very generous with coupons.  I think some of my coupons were up to 8 or 10 dollars off.

ETA: Also at the pedi's office there were always tons of cans there and more bags with formula in it.  I always grabbed a couple at her visits.

Sorry it's so expensive.  I wish you were able to get in on all the free stuff from the companies over here.

jebuell

I'm not sure what the government protocols are here, but I think they make it almost too easy to get formula in the US.  I've been getting can after can after can of free formula for over a year now just sent to my house in the mail and I have no idea why!  Then a lot of hospital kits have formula in them.  So at least in the beginning you can get it pretty easily.  And then there's tons of coupons you can find and government programs (WIC) that help you buy formula if you cannot breast feed.  It IS ridiculously expensive still, but not that bad and this country seems rather pro-formula.

sillybiochemist

I'm sorry to hear you've been having such issues getting formula at a reasonable rate.  The worst part about it is the fact that no matter what you do as a mom, your little one might not be able to take your breast milk b/c of allergies which is completely out of your control.  Not to mention not everyone makes enough breast milk naturally to feed the little one.  They had milk nurses in the US years ago for that type of reason.  Is there anyway you can order it online and have it shipped to you?  That might be your best option in this situation to get a better price for an already expensive product.  I'd definitely talk to the pediatrician to see if they have any suggestions.  Sometimes its almost too easy to get coupons & such for formula here but I remind myself that not everyone is able to breast feed (sometimes b/c of a medicine they are taking, for example for a bacterial infection that they have) regardless of how much or how little they want to. Good luck!

Mrs_B_Sept08

Saving points are somewhat like frequent flyer miles. If you buy something for over a certain price you get a stamp, for a full card of stamps you can either get stuff at a discounted rate, or save up for a goodie (like a stuffed animal or something).

Luckily we can afford the formula, it just seems to me that our government is really harsh. I mean, I literally cry every time I read an article in my parental magazines which glorify BF. I really really tried my best to BF, but I just didn't have enough milk, and its no fun reading about people saying "you just need to try harder and make it work b/c is just sooooooooooooooooooooo good for your baby". Yeah, like I didn't try hard enough....pumping after every BF for 5 days and then pumping every 2 hrs on top of BF the baby every 3 hrs for 1,5 days IS trying very hard! (sorry, no offense to any of you ladies, it really is the magazines I am gnarling at!)

sillybiochemist

I think I said this but I completely agree the guilt thing is ridiculous.   I honestly believe that its causing some people to not want to breast feed because they feel pressured.  Its great if it works for your situation but if it doesn't then it doesn't.  So while I'm planning on breastfeeding, I'm also trying not to set myself up for guilt if it doesn't work out for whatever reason.  There was an article here in the US that I read (that I think the National Institutes of Health put out) that praised breast feeding but then had a one or two line comment saying that society shouldn't make a woman feel bad if either she can't breast feed due to supply issues or because of her little one not being able to take her milk (usually due to allergy).  While I'm glad it was at least written, I thought it was a very backhanded way to mention it.

DreamsBride411

Have you tried to order it from the US?  Is that possible or would it make it any less expensive (if you went for the powdered type).

And I have to agree with Jaye... I think formula is WAY too accessible here.  I went home with TONS of it from the hospital - they just kept throwing it at me.  A nurse stuffed my bag with it when I was leaving even though I was EBFing even at that point.  It's like they expect you to fail!  I just donated all of it to a local teen pregnancy shelter...