Do you think that hospitals should provide formula milk?

[Lydiarose]

OH FF'S FF v BF AGAIN boringggg

Whens it going to end? just get over it!

It makes everyone feel like shit and is so pointless its unreal

 

[jakey1]

When I left hospital I took about 6 bottles of formula home with me from the hospital (courtesy of the NHS)! I'm sorry girls I hold my hands up, the recession is my fault not the bankers!! LOL!!

me too!! looks like we both contributed to the mess that our country is in

 

[ellie]

I just remembered that my LO was given free formula when he was on NICU. HOwever it was not my choice that he was formula fed, I had intended to bf but had an emcs and was unconscious (not that I owuld have been totally surprised had some enthusiastic person tried to ram my boob in his mouth then as they sometimes do lol!) I bf'd him as soon as I could, and I felt guilty about getting free formula (they also gave me some to take home which I donated to charity) I gave the NICU a donation because frankly it cost enough for him to just be in there never mind giving him free food which , as his mother, was responsible for providing. (Oh and before someone jumps in with the 'you had free food didnt you so why shouldnt he', no, OH brought me food in from home or I went to the canteen, as they don't provide adult food when you room in at NICU (well strictly speaking you can go to the maternity wards but I could never get there at the right times). And I thought this was totally fair and was happy to pay for it myself. I don't expect anyone to provide for me or my family for nothing, thats not how this world works.)

I'm not going to bite at the "not all its cracked up to be", its too late in the evening but just

I really don't get some of these arguments though. If you choose not to bf, you by default choose to FF so you choose the circumstances that mean you are buying a product for your baby - surely ?

If people want things to be different, like I said, you'd have to campaign pretty hard to get formula reclassified as a medicine, and not as a consumer product. But then the manufacturers wouldnt be as stinking rich and unscrupulous as they are now. Its actually annoying me how many people are saying its the NHS / govt's fault ... c'mon, really??!?

 

[flubdub]

I just remembered that my LO was given free formula when he was on NICU. HOwever it was not my choice that he was formula fed, I had intended to bf but had an emcs and was unconscious (not that I owuld have been totally surprised had some enthusiastic person tried to ram my boob in his mouth then as they sometimes do lol!) I bf'd him as soon as I could, and I felt guilty about getting free formula (they also gave me some to take home which I donated to charity) I gave the NICU a donation because frankly it cost enough for him to just be in there never mind giving him free food which , as his mother, was responsible for providing. (Oh and before someone jumps in with the 'you had free food didnt you so why shouldnt he', no, OH brought me food in from home or I went to the canteen, as they don't provide adult food when you room in at NICU (well strictly speaking you can go to the maternity wards but I could never get there at the right times). And I thought this was totally fair and was happy to pay for it myself. I don't expect anyone to provide for me or my family for nothing, thats not how this world works.

I'm not going to bite at the "not all its cracked up to be", its too late in the evening

I really don't get some arguments though. If you choose not to bf, you by default choose to FF so you choose the circumstances that mean you are buying a product for your baby - surely ?

If people want things to be different, like I said, you'd have to campaign pretty hard to get formula reclassified as a medicine, and not as a consumer product. But then the manufacturers wouldnt be as stinking rich and unscrupulous as they are now. Its actually annoying me how many people are saying its the NHS / govt's fault ... c'mon, really??!?

Absolutely agree 100%!! Well said!

 

[Natsku]

Here they provide free donated breast milk for any baby that needs it instead of providing formula. Much nicer in my opinion!

 

[LoraLoo]

Here they provide free donated breast milk for any baby that needs it instead of providing formula. Much nicer in my opinion!

Fantastic

 

[Windmills]

I don't think this is BF vs FF..
I formula feed and have from birth

 

[Lightworker]

UNICEF are actually operating as much in developed countries as in developing countries and publish reports that reflect the situation in both types. More than that, where did you get that UNICEF gets most stats from developing ones? Genuinely curious

 

[jojo_b]

Well I like breastfeeding, but I also like formula feeding...there's only one way to settle it: FIIIIIGHT!!! sorry...slight Harry Hill moment...

I wanted to BF, failed miserably and asked to buy some formula. They looked at me like i was mad and gave me it free. To be honest, it was handy that it was free but at that point if they charged me 50 quid an oz I couldn't have been any more miserable. It's great that it was free, but if it wasn't, I'd have bought it. No big deal. Not worth fighting over and certainly not worth launching in a boob vs bottle debate. Chill peeps

 

[Sarah10]

Well I like breastfeeding, but I also like formula feeding...there's only one way to settle it: FIIIIIGHT!!! sorry...slight Harry Hill moment...

I wanted to BF, failed miserably and asked to buy some formula. They looked at me like i was mad and gave me it free. To be honest, it was handy that it was free but at that point if they charged me 50 quid an oz I couldn't have been any more miserable. It's great that it was free, but if it wasn't, I'd have bought it. No big deal. Not worth fighting over and certainly not worth launching in a boob vs bottle debate. Chill peeps

hahaha!!! this made me laugh!! x

 

[Sarah10]

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f98opUNuVXc/SJa6DBQBhyI/AAAAAAAABhY/0XcfOIpRdK0/s400/Harry%20Hill.jpg

 

[Lydiarose]

Well I like breastfeeding, but I also like formula feeding...there's only one way to settle it: FIIIIIGHT!!! sorry...slight Harry Hill moment...

I wanted to BF, failed miserably and asked to buy some formula. They looked at me like i was mad and gave me it free. To be honest, it was handy that it was free but at that point if they charged me 50 quid an oz I couldn't have been any more miserable. It's great that it was free, but if it wasn't, I'd have bought it. No big deal. Not worth fighting over and certainly not worth launching in a boob vs bottle debate. Chill peeps

 

[Puddingpea11]

Well I like breastfeeding, but I also like formula feeding...there's only one way to settle it: FIIIIIGHT!!! sorry...slight Harry Hill moment...

I wanted to BF, failed miserably and asked to buy some formula. They looked at me like i was mad and gave me it free. To be honest, it was handy that it was free but at that point if they charged me 50 quid an oz I couldn't have been any more miserable. It's great that it was free, but if it wasn't, I'd have bought it. No big deal. Not worth fighting over and certainly not worth launching in a boob vs bottle debate. Chill peeps

hahaha!!! this made me laugh!! x

Yeaa, i pictured a giant boob and a bottle running into the studio!! hahah

 

[Tasha]

I have not even read any of this debate but I have talked about my experience before. When I had Kaysie I wanted to BF, I did consider that I might not be able to but at no point was I told that the hospital did not provide formula. So whilst my LO was happily latched on after my section, there were Mum's who were dragging themselves down a massive corridor to the sterlising room just hours after having a section, clearly in pain, because they were formula feeding and needed to do their baby's bottles (visiting time was up), it was truly awful to watch.

Later that night, and BF wasnt going so well for me and my LO, I think it was where we both so exhausted. I asked for help, and was shouted at (something along the lines of your nipples are flat, this was always going to be difficult ), so after no support with the BF, my LO crying for hours I asked for a bottle of formula, of course they said there wasnt any, they dont supply it anymore. So me and my LO, sat crying for hours, from 3am ish until my DH was allowed in at visiting time (10am I think it was), he gave her a bottle of the SMA he bought in Tesco, I went to sleep, she did too, we woke up and she BF well again because we were not exhausted.

So I think there should be formula avaliable for the women who had unexpected sections and were being caused extra pain by having to sterlise bottles, or for women and baby's like me who were not expecting to need milk/didnt have any formula with them and it is the middle of the night so can hardly pop and get some.

Hospitals need to make sure if they dont supply milk that that is very clear. They need to provide help to those women BF, as if this is to encourage BF then the support needs to be there too.

With my first I saw a woman taking 2 or 3 every four hours and putting them in a bag, when my LO was in hospital at 6 weeks old i saw similar with a few different people, and I even saw someone walk off with a whole box

In general though, I think it shouldnt be supplied.

 

[BlackBerry25]

I chose to breastfeed, and then I needed some formula as I was so exhausted and Helena would not stop crying as my milk was not in at all.

A nurse brought me a teeny bottle of formula and we both were able to sleep.

It was free.

Why shouldn't it be? This seems like a ridiculous conversation. Why would someone care if we got some formula for free? We get mat pads for free to use, we get those spray bottles for our vags, we get those net underwear...the list goes on and on. Baby gets cloth diapers to use, we get a blanket...should we have to provide our own everything?

 

[Annabel]

I think they should provide it, even for mums who plan to FF.

IMO I dont think it would be practical in a hospital environment to do it. You need sterile bottles, (I know you can get ready made up milk, but you still need the sterile bottles to put it in). Its one thing preparing your hospital bag, but I wouldn't fancy sterilising bottles while in labour! Just dont know how it would work to be honest!

It is something a lot of hospitals do now

Sterilise bottles??

 

[tu123]

UNICEF are actually operating as much in developed countries as in developing countries and publish reports that reflect the situation in both types. More than that, where did you get that UNICEF gets most stats from developing ones? Genuinely curious

Working for their research department!

 

[jojo_b]

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f98opUNuVXc/SJa6DBQBhyI/AAAAAAAABhY/0XcfOIpRdK0/s400/Harry%20Hill.jpg

Is it wrong that he's my guilty pleasure?

 

[freckleonear]

Regarding the cost of lactation specialists, that's a slightly different issue as breastfeeding actually saves the NHS a lot of money in the long run due to health issues. I can't remember how many millions it's estimated to be off the top of my head, but certainly more than enough to cover the cost of breastfeeding advice and support.

Could you find me the equation then???? As i can't quite believe this

Working on the assumption that each specialist gets paid £25,000.00 a year, each hospital might have 3 to cover certain amount of patients, holidays etc......, 1000 hospitals that might have them which gives you an estimate of £75 million

I don't really want to get sucked into an argument but I'll answer your question.

From Unicef and the Department of Health:

Breastfeeding babies and their mothers are at lower risk of certain illnesses. There are therefore potential cost savings for the wider health care system. It was estimated in 1995 that the NHS spends £35 million per year in England and Wales in treating gastro-enteritis in formula-fed infants and that, for every one per cent increase in breastfeeding at 13 weeks, £500,000 would be saved in the treatment of gastro-enteritis

That is just one single health condition of many that formula fed babies are at higher risk from.

My LO caught gastro-enteritis from his BFed cousin!!!! So clearly BF isn't all that cracked up to be!

I think failing to understand the concept of risks and statistics is partly why people get so worked up about controversial subjects like formula feeding, early weaning, forward facing carseats, etc. Statistically certain things increase certain risks, while other things reduce certain risks. It doesn't mean that if you do A you will suffer from Y, or if you do B you will avoid Z.

Exactly! i'd like to add that most of Unicef research (coming from first hand knowledge) is based on third world countries

I'm not quite sure what that has to do with anything I've said? The figures I provided above were produced by the UK Department of Health in relation to the NHS. They were then published by Unicef as part of the baby-friendly hospital initiative.

 

[DanielleM]

Well I like breastfeeding, but I also like formula feeding...there's only one way to settle it: FIIIIIGHT!!! sorry...slight Harry Hill moment...

I wanted to BF, failed miserably and asked to buy some formula. They looked at me like i was mad and gave me it free. To be honest, it was handy that it was free but at that point if they charged me 50 quid an oz I couldn't have been any more miserable. It's great that it was free, but if it wasn't, I'd have bought it. No big deal. Not worth fighting over and certainly not worth launching in a boob vs bottle debate. Chill peeps

Haha Harry Hill love it can just see a giant boob and bottle of milk now rolling on the floor!! xx