Our hospital provides bottles but you have to bring your own cartons of milk. They do have some for emergencies but the mws were getting mad at mums asking for it. The ward I was on had 3 other mums who intended to bf but I was the only one who didn't ask for formula. They were fine with the ones who were struggling but they were all giving formula at night to get their babies to sleep. If that was their plan they should have brought their own formula.

I think it's great that it's there but when I was in my son cried constantly got the first three nights. Mws said he was hungry because he was so big but none of them ever suggested formula. They told me he was fine & to just keep putting him back on the boob. They also helped me get him sorted for pretty much every feed. And I had an hr long 1-1 "lesson" on good positioning and how to know when he's full etc. then that mw checked in with me twice a day till I went home.

My hospital was clearly very pro bf, but I thing it's great that the formula was there for those who needed it. And I got both bf and ff leaflets when I left too.

I think its a conflict of interest to provide formula if a mum wont breastfeed. If you dont want to breastfeed bring your formula with you, hospitals are suppose to support a healthy choice not offer alternatives. In some cases where something happens to a mum it should be provided as a last resort. I intended to formula feed and brought my own with me. I believe nhs dosnt pay for formula its given by formula companies ?? I wish they would put some money in to helping mums with breastfeeding instead.

I don't think they should provide formula for non medical reasons but not giving any info out on formula feeding even for mums who needed to switch due to medical reasons is a wrong policy and I believe it does play into the hands of formula companies because it's their care lines and marketing that's the only source of info, and they then have a captive audience to make false, grandiose claims about their product in particular xx

I think it's acceptable for the NICU to keep a supply, but if a mom wants to FF, she should provide it herself. There are very few women that are truly unable to BF. It's a matter of lack of education and understanding of normal breastfed baby behavior that often leads moms to FF.

I think you're right about not pushing what they think is best. I was taken up to the ward from delivery (alone with baby) and told 'sleep she won't be hungry yet' when I KNEW that wasn't right, that I should try and feed her but I was so scred of doing it wrong without any help as that mw then walked out that i just did as I was told. Then a few hours later LO woke and I buzzed the mw who sort of said 'wait til her mouth is open wide' but LO wouldnt stay on and I felt like such a failure (now I know better than to think this) then that mw just got a bottle for her. I don't think this should have happened, I think she should have advised me A LOT more..

I agree - my LO was delivered by forceps and whilst I was being stitched they gave her to my oh and shipped them both off to recovery whilst I remained being stitched up!

I wasn't happy but after being inactive and distressed labour for 8hours I didn't say anything but I definitely think having that delay in skin to skin and attempted bf caused latching problems!!

Gosh! I feel very lucky to have had LO in the hospital I had her in! I had a c section but they had asked me prior if I wanted to bf and so they gave me skin to skin as soon as I was stitched up (within an hour easily of lo's birth). The mw would give LO to me to help me bf every time (very often as she was big) LO wanted to be fed. The 2nd night I was in, this was constant and I was shattered so the mw took her for me to let me sleep and said, 'don't worry, I promise I won't give her any formula'. They were amazing and never pushed ff on me. They did have formual for women with problems but encouraged bfing as much as possible to those that needed help. Those who intended to ff were asked to bring their own milk.

Our hospital only provide a room with sterilising equipment in. If you want to FF then you have to bring in your own milk, bottles etc. You are shown how to use the equipment if you chose to go down this route.

See that's a good idea, anyway in most hospitals mummies who are pumping milk have to sterilise the equipment used for this, often in some far flung room down a corridor somewhere so I don't see how it's unfair to expect Ff mums to do the same? Xx

Tbh I think hospitals provide sterilised bottles just because it's easier for them. On out hospital they're not even allowed to bring powder and make it up. They have to being readmyade cartons. That way the hospital only has to provide a fridge.