breastfeeding in hospital [RANT]

[youngmum2b]

I finally got discharged yesterday after having my gorgeous baby boy, n im disgusted of my hospitals breastfeeding policy.
you can breastfeed if u choose to but you cant walk about or have your curtains fully open whilst doin so. Im an open person n im happy in my own skin, im 1 of them who couldnt care less what others think of me, but i got really annoyed with this stupid policy s the mw's were constantly telling me i have to sit down whilst bf n i had to be discrete (sp) about it as a couple of other mothers said it werent right i was just walking around whilst feeding him during visiting hours. Wtf 1 mw actually tried to tell me i was wrong for bfingcos my milk hadnt ?come through i only had my colostrum (sp).

 

[aurora]

Thats the most insane thing I've ever heard!

 

[florabean1981]

the sitting down thing is standard in case you slip/fall/get knocked into etc etc; they're covering their own butts with that one, but the privacy thing actually goes against the law; in the Uk, you have the right to BF your child where-ever, whenever & however you like & no one can ask you to move, stop, cover up etc... You should very much write a letter of complaint with regards to that one, and also express your disappointment by the lack of support & encouragement you received & possibly their poor education on the early days of Bfing by that comment the nurse made- what an idiot!!!

 

[amygwen]

That's ridiculous! Especially in the hospital, thankfully by the sounds of it you have tough skin, but it'd make a lot of new mothers insecure hearing that from nurses.

 

[hivechild]

I can understand requiring you to sit down so you don't slip/fall, but yeah, I'd be lodging a complaint against the hospital for insisting that you draw your curtain.

 

[bekkie]

Wow I don't know if I would have breastfed if it was viewed that way in the hospital I gave birth in... I would have felt so wrong doing it, and that's an awful way to make a new mother feel.

I get having to sit down, for safety reasons... but you're in a hospital for gosh sakes, I was wandering around my room naked during labour LOL. I would definitely write a letter.

 

[lucy_x]

OMG!
thats discusting, i hope you will be writing a formal letter of complaint and discust.

 

[Sherileigh]

Like the others I understand the not walking around thing...but the rest is crazy! Especially her telling you not to BF? Is she nuts?

 

[Dragonfly]

I can understand requiring you to sit down so you don't slip/fall, but yeah, I'd be lodging a complaint against the hospital for insisting that you draw your curtain.

Ditto to this I understand about sitting thinbg but why hide you away? I know when I was breastfeeding in hospital with William I had to draw the curtains as i was a bit sick of the formula mums shaking heads at me and asking me why I bothered and making statements about how it wasnt for them. I did ask for help and was ignored and my parents moved me to a private room and some midwives where so rude to me for breastfeeding and one about my c section so i went home early.

Its not a good start at all if the hospital is teaching mums to hide away and breastfeed., what sort of messages does that send out!

I will find out this time if mine has changed any and I am fully prepared to kick ass as I know more this time should I get grief. I already got grief when I had a UTI when preg of one doc in the mat ward when I had to go for a scan. And midwife 3 weeks ago which I never went back to midwifes I just coudlnt take the stress if trying to retrain myself from saying something stupid of hitting her.

 

[teal]

That's shocking they wanted to hide you away! I'd definitely be complaining xx

 

[youngmum2b]

I've already written a formal letter of complaint which i deived whilst still in hospital, i've also put in 11 personal complaints against some of the mw's. My local hospital is a joke, granted its a good hospital its just the way its ran.

 

[Dragonfly]

where midwives rude to you or any of the other mums?

 

[youngmum2b]

where midwives rude to you or any of the other mums?

Yes basically, they just worded things differently but they made sure u actually understood what they where actually meaning.

 

[Dragonfly]

I had some that barked at me when I asked for help as my nipples where sore and all I got was told I was doing it wrong while they huffed and walked on. Never shown help. And one stood over my bed sneering at me like I was disgust her making remarks about me breastfeeding. I was so sore then I coudlnt hardly speak I just wanted to go home. But I am ready for them this time! do write that complaint i didnt last time and I wish I did as everyone told me to . I even peed the bed they refused to lift my son off me after c section to get up. My dad was raging with them. As if i wasnt traumatised enough from birth I got that after. And they knew it as I heard tham all talking about how bad it was at the nurses station but never came near me to see how i was. Had to beg for pain meds as they always said they would be back but didnt . Part dreading going in but stronger this time around and more coincident and would complain.

 

[Pookie 73]

That is just crazy, sorry you had such an awful experience

 

[Dopeyjopey]

I complained to my hospital about drawing my curtains because I was feeding when i was in with kidney stones. I got a formal apology and the staff were retrained. Definitely complain and push it as far as you can until you are satisfied with the response you get x

 

[summer rain]

I had a similar experience with the hospital where I had my eldest. Unfortunately I find a lot of midwives, especially those originally from developing countries believe the colostrum to be 'nothing' or even bad for the baby. I know so many women told that they will need to give formula until the milk comes in, and thats a one way ticket to permanently switching to formula because the whole supply and demand cycle is broken. I would definitely complain because this victorian attitude in many hospitals is one reason why the BF rate in the UK is so low. Well done you for sticking to your guns and proudly enjoy BF your little one x

 

[youngmum2b]

I know so many women told that they will need to give formula until the milk comes in, and thats a one way ticket to permanently switching to formula because the whole supply and demand cycle is broken. I would definitely complain because this victorian attitude in many hospitals is one reason why the BF rate in the UK is so low. Well done you for sticking to your guns and proudly enjoy BF your little one x

I entend to.
I mean NO offence by this but i personally believe that every mother should atleast try n bf n hospitals should try n persuade mothers new n old to bf rather then just handing them a bottle each time, n even with bfing mums mw's shouldnt still try n give the baby formula. Don't get me wrong i have nothing against mothers who choose to ff as its their choice, but hispitals n health officals shouldnt be so quick to complain when best part of the mw's in hospitals would rather mothers ff so they always know how much lo is taking. eg/ when i was in hospital bfing i asked for an bottle of formula cos lo wouldnt settle n he'd brained my boobs to the point they where sore (this was day 2 so my milk wasnt in yet), once mw gave me the bottle she came round 10 mins later n asked how much hed taken n i said 1oz to which she replied thats not enough he has to take more, refusing to listen when i said hes bf so the bottle was just to top up as my boobs were empty.

 

[Dragonfly]

I know what you mean I noticed the formula feeding myums goty loads of help though when I called them they ran away just ignoring me and back to the ff mum. And the woman with the formula trolley came around me every few hours and shake a bottle at me was I sure I didnt want to try one of keep one for later just in case! as it was free and all :O I felt very alienated indeed and even wrong doing what I was doing . No wonder I was the only one that breastfed in there with the stick i got which I put up with most wouldnt.

docs have asked me in shock why I never gave my son formula and he should be on it by now. And some have asked me as if I have some problem with formula when its just my choice like everyone has one. I dont see why mine needs picked on. Hv is rubbish to and i will be seeing her soon enough to telling me my milk is no good to my son etc yeah why isnt he malnourished then! does he look ill? does my milk look like it does crap?

sorry ranting there I am hormonal and over due. lol

 

[youngmum2b]

Its cool, rant away lol we all need to.
I had 2 mw's tell me i should just give him formula as my milk ovbiously aint enough for him as he was still kinda hungry or ratty after each feed, 1 mw even brought a bottle with her when i rung the bell cos he wouldnt settle n she wouldnt listen when i said he had reflux, how i didnt punch her i do not know as she came in picked him up off my lap after id almost settled him n forced a bottle in his mouth while hes sceaming his lungs out again, i told her to f*** off n give me MY baby back.

Its wrong how some mw's view bf, mothers should be given more support if they chose to bf not constantly being made to feel as if there in the wrong for chosing to give their babies something that their lil bodies are already used to, i'm sorry but i stand but breast is best always have n always will. Unless theres medical reason why a mother shouldnt bf or atleast try to.