Baby Milk

[ujpest doza]

Our 11 month old daughter (13 months when we travel) is currently being given Cow and Gate powdered milk and being weaned of that and onto dairy milk ( as well as solids obviously).

I have been told that Cow and gate is not available in the states and other baby milks have in the past upset her stomach.

Obviously we are hoping she will be drinking all dairy milk by the time we go, but there is a chance she will not.

I have asked various US government departments via e-mail about taking baby milk into the states and had no definitive reply apart from a state department website that mentioned vacuum packing and unopened boxes etc as being ok to bring in but have not had official confirmation.

Would we have to declare it if we were to take 1 box of unopened Cow and Gate baby milk into the states and would it have to be in our hand luggage or in our suitcases?

[blott]

Don't worry, you can take baby milk powder with you into the US. It's always best to declare this on your US Customs form anyway but it'll be fine.

If I were you, as it's important, I'd pack it in your hand luggage. That way, you're sure you've got it with you at all times and, if you should have the misfortune of getting your suitcase mislaid, at least the baby will be OK.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Don't worry, you can take baby milk powder with you into the US. It's always best to declare this on your US Customs form anyway but it'll be fine.

If I were you, as it's important, I'd pack it in your hand luggage. That way, you're sure you've got it with you at all times and, if you should have the misfortune of getting your suitcase mislaid, at least the baby will be OK.
[/quote]

I took loads of SMA last August with no problems.

Julie R

[ujpest doza]

Thanks for the info.

1 further question.

You say declare it on the customs form, is that the blue form that you complete on the plane when you complete the green visa waiver form? or do you just declare it when they ask you ?

I am flying into Sanford and the last time we went which was march 2002 i can remember being asked about food and having to put my suitcase through a last conveyor just before exiting the airport. Is that when i should declare that i have a box of unopened powdered milk for baby?

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ujpest doza
Thanks for the info.

1 further question.

You say declare it on the customs form, is that the blue form that you complete on the plane when you complete the green visa waiver form? or do you just declare it when they ask you ?

I am flying into Sanford and the last time we went which was march 2002 i can remember being asked about food and having to put my suitcase through a last conveyor just before exiting the airport. Is that when i should declare that i have a box of unopened powdered milk for baby?

[/quote]

I think its the white form - I per family?

I also mentioned it at customs but I did not take it in my hand luggage as there was so much as we were there for 3 weeks, iI just had a sample in my had luggage, but we were waved through not probs.

Julie R

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

When our children were younger they were very fussy about their milk and so we used to take loads of baby milk from the UK with no problems at all. We declared it on the blue and white customs form you are given on the plane and were never even questioned about it.

US baby milk is VERY different to the UK variety and it's almost certain your youngsters will not like it. Best to be safe than sorry!

[Nigel W]

I will second that the baby milk is best to be taken from home. My kids could't settle on american powdered milk.

[blott]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:You say declare it on the customs form, is that the blue form that you complete on the plane when you complete the green visa waiver form? or do you just declare it when they ask you ?[/quote] There isn't a blue form. There's a green visa waiver immigration form and a white customs form.

You go through Immigration first (with your passports and green visa waiver form) and then Customs after you've collected your luggage. I'd just tell the Customs person who checks you through and takes your white form from you as it shows willing that you've declared it, that's all.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

I think the confusion is that the Customs form is white but does have a blue top section to it (where the form name etc etc are).

[mikewj]

I wrote to SMA about this very subject a couple of days ago as we didn't want to take enough tins of milk powder to cover a 3 week holiday. Here is their helpful reply :

"In America the only products available are equivalents to SMA Gold, SMA
Progress and SMA Wysoy. These are sold to supermarket chains to use as
own brand products, for example in the Wal-Mart chain these products are
sold under the name Parents Choice (available as powder or liquid
formats). They are also available in other stores under different own
brand names. There is a helpline for Wyeth Nutritionals in the USA who
can be contacted and they will be able to advise you on any stores that
sell these equivalent products and the brand name under which it is sold
in any given area.

SMA White and our specialist feeds (i.e. SMA High Energy and SMA LF) are
not available in the USA.

Local equivalents of SMA products are:
SMA Gold - Enfalac made by Mead Johnson (Tel: 0208 572 7422) SMA White -
Similac made by ROSS Laboratories UK (Tel: 0800 252 882) SMA Progress -
Carnation Follow-On BUT this is not readily available, as American
thinking is that there is no harm in giving an iron-fortified formula
from birth. SMA Wysoy - Prosobee made by Mead Johnson (Tel: 0208 572
7422)

FOR YOUR INFORMATION - Please be aware that American products are also
available in liquid concentrate format that will still need to be
diluted.

WYETH NUTRITIONALS HELPLINE - 1800 272 5095 (9am-5pm Eastern Standard
Time). This number can be called from the UK but will be charged at
International Dialling Rate.

It is important to check the preparation instructions for each product
in the country that you are visiting. This is because scoop sizes can
vary and the amount of water required for each scoop of powder will
change accordingly.

There may also be a slight variation in the levels of some of the
nutrients and/ or some of the ingredients used. Therefore, for the
duration of your stay abroad, you would be best advised to take enough
supplies of your baby's usual milk with you. It is also advisable to
contact the airline you are flying with beforehand as they may offer you
extra luggage allowance for the milk and could give you advice on taking
milk into the country you are visiting. They are usually quite helpful
on board the aircraft with the preparation of feeds.

You may need to consider using a bottled water for making up feeds
whilst you are away. Should this be the case you need to select one
with a sodium content below 20mg/litre of water. The water needs to be
of the still variety and should be boiled before use."

Hope this is of use,

Sue