Can you bottle feed in hosptial?

[Beccaboop]

Ive already decided im uncomfortable with breast feeding and im about 80% sure i wont be doing it. I know they are going to encourage me to in hosptial so i'll give it a try but if i dont feel comfortable or if baby just doesnt take to it can i bottle feed baby while in hospital?

If so do i need to take my own bottle and milk? or will they have them there?

Thanks xxx

 

[Laucu]

I know hospitals tend to vary on their policies, but I am sure that you'll be able to formula feed. No one can force to you BF if you don't want to! Both hospitals I have given birth in gave the mums on my ward bottles of ready-made formula with sterile teats.

 

[Bex1408]

My hospital was very relaxed about it and didn't push me into breast feeding at all. They just asked me how I wanted to feed! I started trying to breast feed but she was too lazy and didn't want to work for her food lol. So I started to formula feed while in hospital! They had a variety of formulas in individual bottles with sterile teats and when I needed one I just had to ask! Xxx

 

[Vickie]

I would ask your hospital or doctor as it varies greatly as to policy (whether you will need to bring anything in especially). Here they provided everything for me.

 

[dizz]

You'll be best off asking the hospital - some give you everything (little bottles of ready made from a couple of brands and screw on teats), some seem to actively go the extra mile to be obstructive (no sterilising facilities and demanding you bring in your own stuff - so basically paying massively over the odds for the starter packs).

I didn't have problems with the staff (I was half-expressing, half using formula) - had a couple of nasty women in beds next to me at various points - one in particular huffed, tutted and made umpteen comments as I went to the nurses desk to grab a teat (for a bottle of breast milk as well after all her huffing and puffing)... sharpish shut up when next feed I left the curtains around the cubicle open so she got to see me doing half a bottle feed (trying desperately to coax it down a baby with a very underdeveloped suck) and half going down a nasal gastric tube... I'm actually still mildly irked with the fact she thought it was any of her chuffing business now to be honest.

What I did find was that until you expressely said "I would like to bottle feed" they wouldn't mention it to you - once you did, they'd support you in it.

Your midwife will probably know how the land lies better for you locally than your GP to be honest.

 

[HellBunny]

Yes you can bottle feed in hospital, all hospitals are different regarding whether they supply milk and bottles so you would be better off asking before hand, but when i FF my first baby i took in the cartons, they supplied disposable bottles x

 

[Beccaboop]

Yes you can bottle feed in hospital, all hospitals are different regarding whether they supply milk and bottles so you would be better off asking before hand, but when i FF my first baby i took in the cartons, they supplied disposable bottles x

Ohh yeah cartons would be a good idea and maybe ill sterilise one bottle and take that with me just in case! Thanks xxx

 

[honeybee2]

My hospital were very supportive and gave me formula when I wanted it and helped me boob feed too.

 

[Mummythree]

Yes iof cource you can ff in hospital, noone can force you to bf. most hospitals have bottles but best to cheak beforehand.

 

[ClairAye]

The one I was in, and my own hospital both have 3oz bottles of Cow&Gate, Aptimal and SMA, we were just told to help ourselves!