Free NHS formula milk stopped!

[Blah11]

How is bringing your own milk in degrading I brought my own breastpads in.

 

[lynnikins]

I think it's terrible personally. I am getting so annoyed at mums who have to/choose to bottle feed being punished and degraded all the time. It has got to STOP!

i agree with this, ive been reading lots of things on here and it always seems the bfing mum look/speak down to the ffing mums. its a mums choice to feed however she wants and if u want to bf then great if u dont then great ive noticed it a few time from certain mums on here that seem to think they have a right to talk down to the mum that ff as tho we are thick or something! i was annoyed when i first read they were taking away formular milk in hospitals but then i saw u could buy the exact same ones in shops so thought ok well il just buy my own then there is no problem is there, im not going to be punished for feeding my baby with a bottle so il make the best of the situation also to the person that said u can only buy certain brands of formular in shops that are pre sterilised at my hospital they only had cow and gate and sma no aptimel if thats what u were taking about. x

boycott aptimel then lol if they cant provide you with the product you want, or just take the presterlised bottle packs and cartons of the ready made stuff you can get that in the supermarket.

if your gonna be shelling out the money to feed your baby caus you choose to formula feed then why should the govement give you a freebie on your first 2 days of milk?

 

[Blah11]

I think it's terrible personally. I am getting so annoyed at mums who have to/choose to bottle feed being punished and degraded all the time. It has got to STOP!

i agree with this, ive been reading lots of things on here and it always seems the bfing mum look/speak down to the ffing mums. its a mums choice to feed however she wants and if u want to bf then great if u dont then great ive noticed it a few time from certain mums on here that seem to think they have a right to talk down to the mum that ff as tho we are thick or something! i was annoyed when i first read they were taking away formular milk in hospitals but then i saw u could buy the exact same ones in shops so thought ok well il just buy my own then there is no problem is there, im not going to be punished for feeding my baby with a bottle so il make the best of the situation also to the person that said u can only buy certain brands of formular in shops that are pre sterilised at my hospital they only had cow and gate and sma no aptimel if thats what u were taking about. x

why try and make it BF mums vs FF mums No one is talking to anyone like they're thick.

 

[Jaybear5]

How is bringing your own milk in degrading I brought my own breastpads in.

I didnt say buying my own milk was degrading! I said mums who bottle feed are degraded all the time and it's not fair!

 

[Blah11]

How is bringing your own milk in degrading I brought my own breastpads in.

I didnt say buying my own milk was degrading! I said mums who bottle feed are degraded all the time and it's not fair!

All mothers are. You need to get a tougher skin. I get people saying breastfeeding a 2 and a half yr old is disgusting and sick and that its some form of child abuse. IDK how it can get anymore degrading than that but you know what? Its water off a ducks back. I know im doing whats best for us.

 

[Jaybear5]

Good for you!

 

[hulahoop09]

I'm amazed at the number of women who want to BF but say they will turn to formula if they "can't" for whatever reason - ladies, if you want to provide breast milk, don't forget that you have an option of exclusively expressing! If your baby struggles to latch, has a birth injury (like mine did), or for whatever reason, you can rent a simple (or hospital grade) pump straight from the hospital or local pharmacy and go from there - and either continue pumping, attempt the baby back to the breast, or go to formula if you choose ... but don't go straight to formula if the baby can't go right on the breast (if that's what you desire).

The BF section here has some great info on exclusive expressing if you are interested. I suggest having a list of pharmacies or numbers for hospital pumps available at the hospital "just in case" rather than expecting the hospital to provide formula (IF bf is what you desire).

I am going to try bfing and if cant because of baby then i have a breast pump but if cant for my reason then obviously i cant. I cant afford to.'rent' a pump as will just manage in general. i think.a little unfair to assume everyone will go straight to formula. I will be having a section and have heard how difficult it can.be to bf after this so am a little concerned.

Sorry about punctuation on mobile! Lol.

Xx

Just to point out hire of a hospital grade pump will cost less than half of what would be spent on Formula for the same month of use, check it out its not cheap and the goverment are cutting down more and more on the amount of ppl able to get vouchers to help with buying Formula

Thanks. i dont know if offer hire of breast pump where i am. I wont get help witg buying formula or any other milk, me and hubby work so not entitled anyway. Not sure where you got that from in my post.

Xx

 

[lynnikins]

if your local hospital dont hire pumps contact your local la leche leauge or sure start or even NCT group as all of these places have links to hire pumps as well

 

[tweedy]

i was never degraded when i chose to ff from the start with my daughter, i had made an informed choice and was given advice and support from all hospital and community midwifes, they went over how to hold bottle, how to clean and sterilise and how to correctly make up formula, when to wind and how to reconise signs of discomfort. in fact, the women in my ward who were trying to breastfeed, were sometimes bullied into giving baby a bottle as they were struggling, instead of being supported in their choice.

also wanted to add that there were a number of nursing staff on my maternity ward in addition to the midwives, they were the best support, help in the shower, help changing the baby, they taught us how to bath her and when i had a mild panic attack at blood in her nappy it was the wee auxillary nurse who explained what it was. i was in for a number of weeks prior to giving birth, so was lucky to build up relationships with the staff, but they were just as supportive to others on my ward as they were to me.

when i discharged myself the day after my section, i was handed an abundance of pre-made bottles, by nurses, as they were worried about me going home so early, i think i had at least 2 days worth in my bag when i left, so i got more than my fair share and although i will attempt to feed this time, i'll be happy to bring in what is required and share with those who are unprepared.

as for hospital food, living off it for 3 weeks, i lost weight and felt great, not having my usual access to crisps and chips did me the world of good and i was back in my pre-pregnancy jeans in no time. all i could stomach after my section was toast and was offered it all the time, i have no negative feelings about my time in hospital, and look forward to spending time there again.

if buying your own formula can add an extra nurse to scbu, or allow additional support to those trying to breastfeed i am all for it, as long as you are given notice.

 

[hulahoop09]

if your local hospital dont hire pumps contact your local la leche leauge or sure start or even NCT group as all of these places have links to hire pumps as well

Thanks. I will see what happens.

 

[AP]

Eh? How is it degrading?
When I had my first DD I had NO CHOICE but to pump That's not degrading. Thats providing for my child. You cant feed a preemie formula.

I FF when she got home, so I am certainly not a person who rams breastfeeding down everyones throat, each to their own in my opinion.

It's not degrading FF'ers at all. I don't understand how people can argue the fact that they can simpily buy the stuff and put it in their bags. What's so hard about that, seriously?

Why do people expect handouts? And loads of women take the stuff home as well, its a piss take!

 

[caz81]

My trust provides formula but I had assumed they would not and was going to provide my own. Im not 100% sure if I will end up breast feeding or not as my milk never came in with my daughter so im going to take some formula so I can switch if I need to (even though my trust provides im going to bring my own bottles as I would feel less pressured that way). When my daughter was rushed into hospital after an extreme reaction to her mmr they did provide milk for her and im sure they will continue in situations like this.

I would say though to those that are talking about the money being spent elsewhere (more education for ff mothers/more nurses etc) I doubt very much that will happen, would be nice if it did though!

I also think that stopping the milk will not encourage more mothers to breast feed (as some people are saying) I think if anything it will make less people breast feed - I know the reason that I am bringing my own bottles in is because I feel if I give bfing a go and it does not work and I ask for bottles I will be likely to be pressured into continuing with something I dont want to do, whereas if I have my own I dont need the mws 'permission'.

 

[lesleyann]

i see your point above^^ if people are taking there own and have a hard time in say teh first 24hours trying to breastfeed, i would guess quite a few would just get the bottles out and feed baby like that then continue to do so as their milk would dry up after a while without pumping etc

 

[milf2be]

I think it's terrible personally. I am getting so annoyed at mums who have to/choose to bottle feed being punished and degraded all the time. It has got to STOP!

How are mums who AF being punished and degraded all the time? By having to supply 6 hours to perhaps 5 days worth of milk, when you have already made the decision you are AF and therefore spending hundreds a year on milk already?

We have to bring in sanitary towells, breast pads, nipple cream etc. do you not think those should be free if formula is?

also, correct me if im wrong, but dont some women (in the UK) entitled to milk tokens too....i dont see anyone giving bf women breast pad tokens or nipple cream tokens lol

 

[lesleyann]

I think it's terrible personally. I am getting so annoyed at mums who have to/choose to bottle feed being punished and degraded all the time. It has got to STOP!

How are mums who AF being punished and degraded all the time? By having to supply 6 hours to perhaps 5 days worth of milk, when you have already made the decision you are AF and therefore spending hundreds a year on milk already?

We have to bring in sanitary towells, breast pads, nipple cream etc. do you not think those should be free if formula is?

also, correct me if im wrong, but dont some women (in the UK) entitled to milk tokens too....i dont see anyone giving bf women breast pad tokens or nipple cream tokens lol

yeah some women do but not many you have to not have a job really to be entilteld to them i think.. But they are not just milk tokens they are for fresh fruit and veg and cows milk and baby vitimins so Bf'ing mums get them to.

I agree something needs to change but im not sure how it will work

 

[hulahoop09]

As lesleyann said they are for other things inc fruit and veg etc. We arent entitled to them as we both work but my sister who plans on bf is and she uses hers on fruit and veg.

xx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I am pretty sure low income familys get milk tokens from 10weeks preg right? So these could be used for formula before going into hosp right? So cost should not be the issue x

 

[Jaybear5]

My point was never about the 'free milk', It was about bottle feeding in general, but no one can deny that in hospital if you have to/choose to Bottle feed you ARE degraded by the Nurses and Midwives!!!! THAT WAS MY POINT! And unless you have been made to feel that way(as I have) then you wouldn't understand that feeling of Failure and being a pathetic waste of space! THAT IS WHAT'S GOT TO STOP....

 

[AP]

My point was never about the 'free milk', It was about bottle feeding in general, but no one can deny that in hospital if you have to/choose to Bottle feed you ARE degraded by the Nurses and Midwives!!!! THAT WAS MY POINT! And unless you have been made to feel that way(as I have) then you wouldn't understand that feeling of Failure and being a pathetic waste of space! THAT IS WHAT'S GOT TO STOP....

Well that's another thread altogether then. And believe me, I have been there!

 

[mummy2lola]

I'm sick of seeing a formula thread turn into arguments about breast feeding.this topic came up when I was in second tri and the same arguments started.why are people who choose to bf coming in to say how right they think it all is when it clearly doesn't concern them at all.hospitals are doing this to yet again enforce bf'in and people really need to get over the fact that it's just not for everyone and leave it at that.now I bought this up with my mw stating "I have bought the sma ready bottles" this is so I don't have to ask and then be looked down at/lectured and her response was "oh no u can't take them in as it's ff advertising and the hospital can't be seen to promote that,ask them and they will give u a bottle".I feel like people who r not bf'in are being bullied into something that should b a personal choice and if they are stopping the milk in all hospitals and to be told u can't take ur own is ridiculous.if they are stopping it to promote bf'in then fine but don't STILL judge if we bring our own.people who go in with the intention of bf'in and physically can't through no fault of their own shouldn't need to feel bad if they have come prepared or need to ask for a bottle xx