Do you think that hospitals should provide formula milk?

[ellie]

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

omg, a giant boob vs a giant bottle, its like one of my crazy sleep deprived dreams

i think you have a great point ... im not sure its the biggest issue in the world worth fighting over, really ... having said that, my dad had a massive go at me earlier because i forgot to water my mint plant, maybe he should come on here instead

 

[DanielleM]

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!!

Chill out love it was a joke!!

 

[Puddingpea11]

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??

PLaces like boots sell the bottles you can get in hospital. They are bottles that have the milk in them already...so no sterilising needed. You just take the cap and wrapper off, attach the teat and away you go.

 

[freckleonear]

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

That's fantastic! Out of interest, how does that work? Is it just for mothers who are experiencing temporary problems breastfeeding and is it just provided while the babies are in hospital, or could it be provided long term for someone who decides they can't continue breastfeeding?

 

[lovealittle1]

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

Wow that is wonderful!!!

Im from Canada and I think most ladies on here are from UK so it's a bit different as you get everything handed to you in our hospitals-diapers,creams,shampoo,pads,towels,etc etc etc. I think it should be available in hospitals but I think that it should not be offered. On day 3 of my son's life I was offered formula even though I was Breastfeeding and had voiced that this was my desire. There was no help for Breastfeeding at all. I just don't think they should be offering formula to a new, hormonal mum who is lacking confidence in the first few days. I'm strong and refused but I know lots of mums who accepted it and therefore gave up BFing and regret it now.

 

[flubdub]

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??

Yep, not in labour obv, but after, as someone above you mentioned, there is a room with all the equipment in and you go to that to get sorted.

 

[flubdub]

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

omg, a giant boob vs a giant bottle, its like one of my crazy sleep deprived dreams

i think you have a great point ... im not sure its the biggest issue in the world worth fighting over, really ... having said that, my dad had a massive go at me earlier because i forgot to water my mint plant, maybe he should come on here instead

 

[bumpy_j]

i think that you should have to pay for it at the hospital if choosing to ff but they should have a medical exemption strategy so if you get a certificate from your gp giving a valid reason why you're choosing it whether its a strong physical or psychological obstical you can get the formula for free. The nhs doesn't provide us with hospital nursing tops or breast pads either and its all cost effective - its a pretty sensible cut back tbh and its not penalising anyone - its just a free way of feeding vs a shop bought one

 

[Sarah10]

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

Is it wrong that he's my guilty pleasure?

very wrong!!
nope, whatever floats your boat

 

[Lightworker]

Come on ladies debate nicely, don't make it personal

Working for their research department![/QUOTE]

Awesome! Do you think you could get me a job there?! Seriously though I always thought their research was done across the board given the figures in their State of the World's Children

 

[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??

PLaces like boots sell the bottles you can get in hospital. They are bottles that have the milk in them already...so no sterilising needed. You just take the cap and wrapper off, attach the teat and away you go.

Oh, Ive never seen those bottles! I thought it was just special ones for the hospital! Oh well, I think the mums that plan of FF should buy them, either from the shops or the hosptial! BUT they should still stock some for those that need them who tried/wanted to BF! Simples!

 

[BabyJayne]

What a shock to see this thread has descended into the BF v FF debate again...and resulted in completely irrelevant points being brought up. Dull dull dull.

In answer to the OPs question - I knew I had to bring in my own nappies, wipes etc for LO when going into hospital. If I knew I had to take formula as that wasn't provided I would have been equally happy to do so. I planned to BF so wouldn't have taken any in with me (as it was LO didn't feed for nearly three days and got jaundiced, so I FF for bit in hospital and then combi fed (by expressing) at home, before switching to full FF from about 8/9 weeks. I hate that I have to explain this every time...but I feel like I do.). But I would have sent DH out for some if need be - just as he would have had to go out if we had not brought nappies etc. As it is our hospital provides free formula. Gosh, I had lactation specialists (a labour ward sister was a BF-ing consultant for UNICEF), made use of free formula and combi-fed...I'm an outcast on all sides

If you breast feed for however long - it's free. If you FF, it costs you money. I don't see what the difference is because you are in hospital. If you have a home birth the MW doesn't pull out a free tub of SMA. If you had to pay for it in hospital or bring your own - why is that such a big shock? It's just how life is going be while your LO is FF-ing. And the majority (not everyone - I know) of people are in for a day or two, with three or four days considered quite a long stay. So the small amounts of formula you would need would be pretty negligible to one person in terms of cost, yet to a maternity unit, supplying hundreds of these every week, it would be immense.

One more thing - in regard to points like I would rather formula be provided than methadone (just one that stuck out), that is neither relevant, nor helpful.

 

[Lightworker]

Oops meant to quote TU123

 

[louise1302]

whatever happened to choice

i think it should be available if you want it, they could charge but how would you separate the not wanting to bf from the trying to bf but having temp problems to the just plain cant bf, impossible therefore formula should be available to all who either want or need it


ps i struggled bfing due to 100% tongue tie and expressed!

 

[ellie]

actually yeah, good point babyjayne, if you birth at home and choose to ff, you wouldnt get it given to you then would you?
Actually I wonder how much the average maternity stay costs the NHS altogether? mine must have been astronomical - induction, emcs, 4 day stay, a week in nicu for LO, god i dread to think. whereas actually if you have a straighforward normal birth, stay for maybe a few hours or overnight, and ff, even if the hospital provide it free that would cost the nhs waaay less than a complicated one like mine. I guess thats the kind of thing the insurance companies in other countries work on. Guess we should be grateful to have the nhs here at all eh ....

 

[Windmills]

i think that you should have to pay for it at the hospital if choosing to ff but they should have a medical exemption strategy so if you get a certificate from your gp giving a valid reason why you're choosing it whether its a strong physical or psychological obstical you can get the formula for free. The nhs doesn't provide us with hospital nursing tops or breast pads either and its all cost effective - its a pretty sensible cut back tbh and its not penalising anyone - its just a free way of feeding vs a shop bought one

How do you decide who qualifies for free formula? Wouldn't that be a bigger waste of resources? What's a valid reason to one doctor mightn't be to another Wouldn't work IMO.
I don't think the NHS should discriminate on who gets free formula. Either everyone or noone.

 

[Puddingpea11]

i think that you should have to pay for it at the hospital if choosing to ff but they should have a medical exemption strategy so if you get a certificate from your gp giving a valid reason why you're choosing it whether its a strong physical or psychological obstical you can get the formula for free. The nhs doesn't provide us with hospital nursing tops or breast pads either and its all cost effective - its a pretty sensible cut back tbh and its not penalising anyone - its just a free way of feeding vs a shop bought one

How do you decide who qualifies for free formula? Wouldn't that be a bigger waste of resources? What's a valid reason to one doctor mightn't be to another Wouldn't work IMO.
I don't think the NHS should discriminate on who gets free formula. Either everyone or noone.

But the NHS already do that with prescription drugs, why not formula? Much like birth control, women can get it for free, yet men/women have to buy condoms.

 

[Lydiarose]

Imagine if there was a formulaist instead of lactavist!

The outrage! . . . sorry just saying!

 

[Tasha]

i think that you should have to pay for it at the hospital if choosing to ff but they should have a medical exemption strategy so if you get a certificate from your gp giving a valid reason why you're choosing it whether its a strong physical or psychological obstical you can get the formula for free. The nhs doesn't provide us with hospital nursing tops or breast pads either and its all cost effective - its a pretty sensible cut back tbh and its not penalising anyone - its just a free way of feeding vs a shop bought one

How do you decide who qualifies for free formula? Wouldn't that be a bigger waste of resources? What's a valid reason to one doctor mightn't be to another Wouldn't work IMO.
I don't think the NHS should discriminate on who gets free formula. Either everyone or noone.

But the NHS already do that with prescription drugs, why not formula? Much like birth control, women can get it for free, yet men/women have to buy condoms.

You can go to family planning and get condoms free

 

[Windmills]

You don't have to buy condoms, you can get them for free all over the place, like sexual health clinics for example.
Bumpy_j mentioned reasons for not bfing as the deciding criteria. For prescription drugs the deciding factors are age and employment status. Totally different!