Free NHS formula milk stopped!

[lesleyann]

I could breastfeed however my son could not lol does that make me a different stat? lol i will have a bottle and a carton at home ready just incase. Bottles anyway because if this baby will Bf i still intend to express every now and then so i can have a little rest when needed.

EDIT:

a very fast google search showed % from 1% to over 5% cannot Bf lol

 

[Linzi]

Too right! What's wrong with taking your own milk in if FF is your intention? Unless there is an issue bfing or like me first time round, prem labour, then why not? Help hospitals put money to better use like the maternity units and neonatal!

wss^

They sell cartons in the shops in the lobbys of hospitals anyway so even if you are intending to breastfeed and can't for some reason it's available.

Don't see why they're spending money on that then closing down heart units etc over the country. Good place to make a saving IMO.

xxx

 

[Blah11]

I could breastfeed however my son could not lol does that make me a different stat? lol i will have a bottle and a carton at home ready just incase. Bottles anyway because if this baby will Bf i still intend to express every now and then so i can have a little rest when needed.

EDIT:

a very fast google search showed % from 1% to over 5% cannot Bf lol

yes it does make you a different stat. the 2% one has to do with the woman literally not producing any milk.

 

[lesleyann]

I could breastfeed however my son could not lol does that make me a different stat? lol i will have a bottle and a carton at home ready just incase. Bottles anyway because if this baby will Bf i still intend to express every now and then so i can have a little rest when needed.

EDIT:

a very fast google search showed % from 1% to over 5% cannot Bf lol

yes it does make you a different stat. the 2% one has to do with the woman literally not producing any milk.

ahh ok that clears things up a bit ive never really researched into it

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I dont have a problem with them not providing the bottles, I took cartons but if they are not providing bottles they will need to produce an area with sterilisers and access to a kettle etc. I wonder about the health and safety on this (you know what hospitals are like). Also what about people who have c-sections that bottlefeed? You cant really get up straight after and start making feeds.

It just seems like an idea that they have not really thought about properly.

 

[Blah11]

I dont have a problem with them not providing the bottles, I took cartons but if they are not providing bottles they will need to produce an area with sterilisers and access to a kettle etc. I wonder about the health and safety on this (you know what hospitals are like). Also what about people who have c-sections that bottlefeed? You cant really get up straight after and start making feeds.

It just seems like an idea that they have not really thought about properly.

What do the people who have csections do at home Im sure the care assistants would help.

 

[hulahoop09]

I am guesing those who have had c sections are more mobile at home? I will be having a section and plan on trying to bf but have been told it may be struggle with having a section so plan on taking in sone prepped bottles jst incase.

 

[RaspberryK]

i wish they'd stop all this anti bottle feeding s**t! its a personal choice!
x

Yes and if you've made that choice then you should not expect to be given bottles and formula, it should have been packed in your hospital bag.

x

 

[tweedy]

mother care do the exact bottles that are provided at the hospital, i think it's about £14 for 12, expensive, but saves on the worry of sterilisation and you have everything with you. if the hosptials are paying close to that for each baby who is born, it soon adds up, especially as once baby feeds, even only an once or so, you have to throw away and use a new bottle for next feeding, so i am sure there is quiet a lot of wastage.

as far as i know, my trust still offer this service, but if it was to be withdrawn, as long as you know about it in advance i don't see the problem.

for a lot of mums who feel pressurised into trying to bf, it will give them the chance to bring in their own bottles and not feel judged and bullied by midwives when they have to ask for formula. so might work against promoting bf in the end, but instead give women who have no desire to breastfeed the oportunity not to dicuss feeding at all with the staff and not leave them feeling 2nd class for not attempting it.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I dont have a problem with them not providing the bottles, I took cartons but if they are not providing bottles they will need to produce an area with sterilisers and access to a kettle etc. I wonder about the health and safety on this (you know what hospitals are like). Also what about people who have c-sections that bottlefeed? You cant really get up straight after and start making feeds.

It just seems like an idea that they have not really thought about properly.

What do the people who have csections do at home Im sure the care assistants would help.

I think the first 3 days are the hardest, you would not be at home that soon would you? I had my lad in birthing centre and had my own steriliser there etc and it was lovely, I much prefured it but tbh, I cant imagine it working in hospitals. I was not even allowed access to the kettle for hot water when I had DD for a pot noodle so cant imagine them allowing you to use it more than 5 times a day making bottles and warming them!

 

[Weeplin]

I don't mind about it all. I am choosing to formula feed just as I did with my other 2 kids and I'm just going to get some of those little premade bottles. I have seen them in Mothercare and Asda. I always try and get out the same day anyway.

 

[lozzy21]

As some one who had to give formula because LO couldent breastfeed i think its a good idea, if your planning on FF anyway whats shoving two cartons of milk in your bag?

 

[lozzy21]

I dont have a problem with them not providing the bottles, I took cartons but if they are not providing bottles they will need to produce an area with sterilisers and access to a kettle etc. I wonder about the health and safety on this (you know what hospitals are like). Also what about people who have c-sections that bottlefeed? You cant really get up straight after and start making feeds.

It just seems like an idea that they have not really thought about properly.

What do the people who have csections do at home Im sure the care assistants would help.

I think the first 3 days are the hardest, you would not be at home that soon would you? I had my lad in birthing centre and had my own steriliser there etc and it was lovely, I much prefured it but tbh, I cant imagine it working in hospitals. I was not even allowed access to the kettle for hot water when I had DD for a pot noodle so cant imagine them allowing you to use it more than 5 times a day making bottles and warming them!

Realy? We had a hot water tap in the day room that we could use as and when we wished.

I had to deal with bottles in hospital when LO was in with bronchiolitus and it was no harder than at home. They offerent you a cold water setaliser that they would set up and change the water for you or they had a steam steraliser for you to use in the milk kitchen.

 

[milf2be]

im sick to the back teeth of seeing actualy its only x% of women that cant actualy bf!

everytime i see it the % changes each time so obviously its not that set in stone....unless that is every woman who cant bf is tested!

this isnt about BF this thread is about formula being stopped in hospitals

i can see it turning into a debate about BF vs FF is those so called facts keep poping up

exactly and a few people said what about women who cant breastfeeding - and i pointed out only a few women cant actually breastfeed and the hospital did say they had emergency supply.

iv just double checked and its 2%-5% which is what iv seen everywhere tbh. its like iv just seen something thats said 18-25% of women quit smoking during pregnancy in 2001, thats just statistics

Hopefully women will be able to get a lot more support with breastfeeding if there is no formula bottles around to fall back on

 

[milf2be]

I don't mind about it all. I am choosing to formula feed just as I did with my other 2 kids and I'm just going to get some of those little premade bottles. I have seen them in Mothercare and Asda. I always try and get out the same day anyway.

exactly, its what they give you in hospital anyway

im only due 5 days before you!! (10th was actually my LMP due date!)

 

[missmayhem]

i think its a fab idea to stop it!!! the money could be used in SCBU far better, more equipment, or staff, meaning those in SCBU have a better chance

as said mothercare and asda do the ready made bottle and how much room does that take up in your bag??? lets face it you bring up this baby for the next 18yrs at least so what is a few quid in the grand scheme of things

 

[AP]

Tbh i bet the cost of our food is way cheaper than formula for the nhs. I dont care for the arguement of 'hospital should feed baby too'. How about doing something to help improve the services by helping reduce the costs. You're gonna go home and buy it anyways??!!

 

[lynnikins]

oh if the NHS ought to feed my baby too does that mean i get an extra portion of each meal because im breastfeeding and my body "NEEDS" it to produce the milk, my husband spent £20+ a day on food for me while i was in hospital even bringing food up from the hospital cafe which was much better quality than what we had on the wards, this was in addtion to eating what they gave me why caus the food is c**p anyway in most hospitals and any nutritional value has long been cooked and reheated out of it by the time it gets to the patients.

if the money is better spent elsewhere on SAVING LIVES then by all means cut the free formula its not that hard to put some in your bag after all!!! and if you read the ariticle they are actually talking more about the support they are putting in place for " BOTTLE FEEDING" mothers alongside the support for BF , teaching mums how to Bottle feed correctly to make sure they arent overfeeding their babies etc.... newborns dont need alot of milk but everytime they open a bottle of formula 1-2 oz at least they have to throw the remaining away even if the baby only takes 10mls! theres a much better way to spend NHS money than on this wastage

 

[highhopes19]

when my cousin had her baby in january our local hospital have moved all the sterilising equipment for bottle feeding to the other end of the hospital, to put FF mums off so they would have to walk all that way to make a bottle.

my cousin had a c-section as well as waiting to have her gall bladder removed around the same time, had to walk to the other side of the hospital to prepare a bottle. when she asked for help as she was in pain. the care assistant said well you'll have to get used to doing it yourself, this was the same day she had her c-section.

im all for encouraging BF (im hoping to be able to myself ) but i dont agree with FF mums being made to feel discriminated or singled out.

so not all care assistants in hospitals are happy to help sadly.

i'll also add this hospital provided just the BF mums with brilliant support and the best equipment to hand if they needed it. but FF mums were shoved in the corner.

i do agree with formula being stopped in hospitals as i think the money could be used elsewhere and if they were already planning on FF then im guessing new FF mums would have already got formula ready at home so i dont think it will make any difference putting a can in your bag, but i hope they recieve better support than what my cousin did with FF xxx

 

[lynnikins]

there should be proper support and services for them avalible , i have had to show some of my friends how to make a bottle though when they have gotten home from hospital with their newborn as the nurses and care assistants did it all for them in the hospital,

sad as it is for fomula mums then breastfeeding is cheaper overall for the NHS so when the cuts are hitting this hard they are gonna promote it