Interesting thread! Our first child just turned 5 months, and I...

Interesting thread!

Our first child just turned 5 months, and I do NOT recall even being encouraged let alone offered the option to give my boy formula when my wife didn't have much in production after Day 1 of the Birth. Mind you, we went public system, and so the midwives generally do not care what you think but are more interested in teaching you the proper practices of raising a baby, which means only Breast Feeding and absolutely no formula. We ended up going 50/50 as we planned to top up with baby formula anyway and had already bought enough to last the first 6 months. FULL Disclosure here, I had NOT heard of A2M or BAL at the time, so went with the well-known NAN.

Anyway, I cannot really SEE this concept taking off in Australia, where 'natural' is the best and most suggested direction when referring to childbirth and raising babies. HOWEVER, in the US of A, where I've lived and have many relatives, everything is about making things EASIER and I daresay LAZIER for the parents... they will pretty much offer the mother a EPI pre-labor (like in TV shows and movies), and first things will swoop in with some baby formula after birth.

Anyone know about practices in NZ or UK, or even China?

All IMHO*