Do you think that hospitals should provide formula milk?

[Lightworker]

Whoops- yeah I have read that in some hospitals they give you a choice of all brands. But from a business and marketing point of view, just that the product is there for you too choose is still advertising. You may not have exclusivity and the edge over another competitor but being available still counts. Lol sorry for going OT and truly I am not an expert on business, only regurgitating what my DH says lol x

 

[ttc_lolly]

Why dont the BF's who have a problem with newborns getting 'FREE' formula milk, just give yourselves a pat on the back that you have helped reduce costs to the NHS. well done!

thats not fair. there are both ffers and bfers on both sides of the fence. its not a them vs us thing.

it doesnt sound like it from some of the posts though. Its ridiculous.

yes but its not just coming from those who breastfeed so its not so wise to pinpoint.

so the ones who FF who think they shouldnt offer formula in hospitals now or they should have to pay for it............what did they do when they had there babies refuse the milk offered to them? take in their own?

and BF are reducing the costs to the NHS....whats wrong with that now?

I took in my own formula and those throw away pre-sterilied bottles

 

[ellie]

God please not the "bfers are on their high horses" thing again, its so dull and it's not even true fgs. there are plenty of people who bf on here who are saying hospitals should provide free formula .... do try to take a wider view!

I was just wondering ... Do you think that the NHS managers (very highly paid, and there are an awful lot of them ....) who make decisions about things like this, are mostly male?

I wish I could stay away from threads like this as it just annoys me how narrow some people's views are, it seems impossible for some to see anything other than "me me me". Argh.

Actually it is a good point that taking in your own formula might not be sterile etc, but if hospitals could (instead of providing free formula) provide facilities for making it up safely, and instruction on doing it, wouldn't that negate that risk? I thought that that was the deal with formula, that's why you had to use water of a certain temperature etc so it kills off any bugs? And as I understand it, most of the problems new mums who ff encounter are about how to make it up properly? wouldn't it be more cost efficient in the long run, then, to do that rather than just dish out free formula and not give any help about how to use it?

 

[jstarr]

I don't know of any hospitals round here that you have to make up your own bottles in a kitchen, they all provide the little glass bottles of formula.

I think mothers should get support with whatever their choice so if they ff a few bottles and if you bf help and support

Some replies on here sound like ff mothers shouldn't recieve bottles as a sort of punishment for making the wrong decision on how to feed their baby, no one has the right to judge

bf rates aren't as good as they should be i know that and im all for encouraging, support, information and anything that might make it more 'normal' again even before women get pregnant and during pregnancy but fgs if a woman is in hospital and has just given birth give her a frikin break!

 

[Maman]

Myself I think that they should provide formula for the 1st 6 hours.

this is the usual discharge time for most people. but if you have to stay in longer you have plenty of time to send somebody out, or if you know your staying in longer you know to bring extra with you.

havnt read all the posts, so dont know if anybody else has suggested this.

Thats a good idea.

The only people who are turnint this in to a ff vs bf debate are the oned who have exclusively formula fed their babies... and its quite often the case that if you even try to discuss anything to do with formula with ff mums they get uppity and annoyed.

hospital is hospital... not hotel. If you go in to have a baby its not the same as most of the other wards, patients on other wards can be dying and extremely ill. Labour and birth isnt an illness.

If youre admitted unexpectedly due to pre eclampsia or pre birth problems or premature labour then maybe yes formula should be provided until you can get your own brought in, but if you go in knowing youre due, have your baby and expect bottles of formula then i think that shouldnt be allowed past the initial 6 hours.

I also think we should have to pay for food if youre a non emergency admittion to the maternity unit. (you have 9 months to prepare to pay for your food so its not a shock outlay!!!) and the hospital should have a shop good enough to cater for all the needs of a new mother including food, nappies, milks, baby suits (rather than balloons and junk food they currently sell!!!) doing thinsd this way would not only save money but also ensure the hospital food is up to a standard as some people say hopsital food is poor.

I breastfed last time and this time im planning to but i will still pack a few cartons of formula and 2 bottles in to my bag, just in case.

 

[shortie1990]

I don't think they should provide milk, they don't provide you with clothes and nappies so why milk..

But I don't think the NHS will ever be able to change it as they will always have to have some for un expected labours.. People who have genuinely forgotten or people who planned on BF but for what ever reason needs formula, the NHS aren't going to let a baby starve, but surely if you're planning on formula feeding you've already bought the baby some formula for at home.. So why wouldn't you bring it with you, your responsibility as parents is to loom after/feed/clothe this baby.. It's not the responsibility of the NHS

 

[smelly07]

Why dont the BF's who have a problem with newborns getting 'FREE' formula milk, just give yourselves a pat on the back that you have helped reduce costs to the NHS. well done!

thats not fair. there are both ffers and bfers on both sides of the fence. its not a them vs us thing.

it doesnt sound like it from some of the posts though. Its ridiculous.

yes but its not just coming from those who breastfeed so its not so wise to pinpoint.

so the ones who FF who think they shouldnt offer formula in hospitals now or they should have to pay for it............what did they do when they had there babies refuse the milk offered to them? take in their own?

and BF are reducing the costs to the NHS....whats wrong with that now?

I took in my own formula and those throw away pre-sterilied bottles

so you helped reduced costs to the nhs to

 

[bubbles]

This argument that keeps cropping up of "they provide meals for us, why not babies" is silly. There is a huge difference between an adult, who is ill and probably in there unexpectedly and a newborn. The biggest difference being food IS supplied free for babies. It's called BREAST MILK!! if you choose not to use what nature has provided for FREE thats your bad not the NHS'

Again I have highlighted the word choose as this is about making a conscious decision on how to feed your baby NOT because baby is ill/unable to feed or you are physically unable to breastfeed

Because you said so.

No, I had a choice my choice was formula THAT IS NOT MY BAD thats my right of choice.

Ignorance

please point out my ignorance

And the high lighted bit I felt needed to be there so I didn't get jumped on again by people not reading my post properly and thinking I was saying formula shouldn't be provided in any case

Think it's pretty clear where I call you ignorant, sorry I have to explain that a second time to you.
"if you choose not to use what nature has provided for FREE thats your bad not the NHS'"

As stated my choice not my 'bad'.

it wasn't a judgement at all it's an expression. I'm not ignorant of the fact that people choose to FF, just as I'm not ignorant of the fact that it has a financial impact both personally and economically and alot of the time, the financial impact for individual families can be bad. Why should that negative impact be put on an already strained NHS?

 

[jstarr]

Myself I think that they should provide formula for the 1st 6 hours.

this is the usual discharge time for most people. but if you have to stay in longer you have plenty of time to send somebody out, or if you know your staying in longer you know to bring extra with you.

havnt read all the posts, so dont know if anybody else has suggested this.

Thats a good idea.

The only people who are turnint this in to a ff vs bf debate are the oned who have exclusively formula fed their babies... and its quite often the case that if you even try to discuss anything to do with formula with ff mums they get uppity and annoyed.
hospital is hospital... not hotel. If you go in to have a baby its not the same as most of the other wards, patients on other wards can be dying and extremely ill. Labour and birth isnt an illness.

If youre admitted unexpectedly due to pre eclampsia or pre birth problems or premature labour then maybe yes formula should be provided until you can get your own brought in, but if you go in knowing youre due, have your baby and expect bottles of formula then i think that shouldnt be allowed past the initial 6 hours.

I also think we should have to pay for food if youre a non emergency admittion to the maternity unit. (you have 9 months to prepare to pay for your food so its not a shock outlay!!!) and the hospital should have a shop good enough to cater for all the needs of a new mother including food, nappies, milks, baby suits (rather than balloons and junk food they currently sell!!!) doing thinsd this way would not only save money but also ensure the hospital food is up to a standard as some people say hopsital food is poor.

I breastfed last time and this time im planning to but i will still pack a few cartons of formula and 2 bottles in to my bag, just in case.

I don''t think thats fair to say, do you know how every mother on here feeds her baby?

 

[NG09]

NG09- Please don't take this the wrong way I only wish you well but it seems to me that the only person judging you is you and its why you are highlighting the efforts you have gone through for your LO. I don't think anyone else is judging you and this is not a FF vs BF debate at all, but you seem to constantly be on the defensive for FFing, when what we are on about here is the economics (and the ethics of not providing it) of it. Hugs to you xxx

If there is one thing I don't feel bad about is FF my son. I actually feel proud of myself for making that decision and being happy about. I knew for a fact there were so many narrow minded individuals who would jump on the chance to attack me for it. So I appreciate you highligting the issue as now others who might think this is the case with me will be in no doubt that is not how I feel.

I pointed out the difficulties I had FF as I will not have it assumed that as I didn't want to BF that I 'couln't be botherd'.

 

[whoops]

Whoops- yeah I have read that in some hospitals they give you a choice of all brands. But from a business and marketing point of view, just that the product is there for you too choose is still advertising. You may not have exclusivity and the edge over another competitor but being available still counts. Lol sorry for going OT and truly I am not an expert on business, only regurgitating what my DH says lol x

I think the advertising is more of a side effect though - like when shops give you branded bags after you buy something. It benefits them because other people see the name of the shop but they're giving you a bag so you can carry your goods.

Even if the hospitals only provide formula in an emergency, they still need to have some in stock, so the primary reason for them having formula is to feed babies. Hospitals don't have unbranded formula to choose from.

 

[ellie]

And it is really heavily advertised. No not directly in hospitals but everywhere in baby magazines, subtly through articles and tv, it really is everywhere. Hands up how many people genuinely believe that out of all the formula brands Aptimil is "best" or "closest to breastmilk"? I was told that in hospital and I kind of believed it because I knew bugger all about formula. Since then I discovered that it is not in the least bit true, that they're all pretty much the same and Aptimil just has a bigger and better marketing going on

ANd it's worth remembering that everyone on here is, by nature of being on an internet forum, actually a really exceptionally thoughtful, caring, intelligent parent. Seriously, there are a LOT of parents out there that really are not and they are the ones that will be swayed by the subtle advertising, the offer of free formula, not knowing anything about bf'ing or their family/friends saying it's pointless or gross etc. I think everyone should really try to remember that everyone on this forum is the exception

 

[ttc_lolly]

Myself I think that they should provide formula for the 1st 6 hours.

this is the usual discharge time for most people. but if you have to stay in longer you have plenty of time to send somebody out, or if you know your staying in longer you know to bring extra with you.

havnt read all the posts, so dont know if anybody else has suggested this.

Thats a good idea.

The only people who are turnint this in to a ff vs bf debate are the oned who have exclusively formula fed their babies... and its quite often the case that if you even try to discuss anything to do with formula with ff mums they get uppity and annoyed.
hospital is hospital... not hotel. If you go in to have a baby its not the same as most of the other wards, patients on other wards can be dying and extremely ill. Labour and birth isnt an illness.

If youre admitted unexpectedly due to pre eclampsia or pre birth problems or premature labour then maybe yes formula should be provided until you can get your own brought in, but if you go in knowing youre due, have your baby and expect bottles of formula then i think that shouldnt be allowed past the initial 6 hours.

I also think we should have to pay for food if youre a non emergency admittion to the maternity unit. (you have 9 months to prepare to pay for your food so its not a shock outlay!!!) and the hospital should have a shop good enough to cater for all the needs of a new mother including food, nappies, milks, baby suits (rather than balloons and junk food they currently sell!!!) doing thinsd this way would not only save money but also ensure the hospital food is up to a standard as some people say hopsital food is poor.

I breastfed last time and this time im planning to but i will still pack a few cartons of formula and 2 bottles in to my bag, just in case.

What a silly ignorant post it's comments like this that get people's backs up....

 

[Wobbles]

I took in my own formula and those throw away pre-sterilied bottles

Interesting Where did you get them? I could only find them on ebay and I refused to buy them .... x

 

[jstarr]

I took in my own formula and those throw away pre-sterilied bottles

Interesting Where did you get them? I could only find them on ebay and I refused to buy them .... x

they sell them in boots and some supermarkets x

 

[Wobbles]

Darn right I get uppity when formula feeding my girls is worded as 'my bad'.

 

[Wobbles]

I took in my own formula and those throw away pre-sterilied bottles

Interesting Where did you get them? I could only find them on ebay and I refused to buy them .... x

they sell them in boots and some supermarkets x

Oooo never seen them. I recall the convo on here before and nobody could get any either. Maybe more available now.

 

[special_kala]

River is formula fed and I would not have a problem paying for the pre sterilized bottles.

 

[Wobbles]

And they are now available online (weren't when I looked for them) ... interesting thanks for that, good to learn something new every day

 

[Wobbles]

River is formula fed and I would not have a problem paying for the pre sterilized bottles.

I don't think people are getting blergh over paying for them if you had to but I see no problem in them being available to us at the birth of our babies either. iykwim? I know you weren't saying that just adding in either way suits me

If I ever have another I now know something new that wasn't available easily at one point.