has this happened to you, when you had your LO's?

[Sarah10]

I think formula was stopped in my hosp last year, we had to bring our own though they did supply bottles

 

[Dragonfly]

I think thats more the problem with this is that she wasnt helped. Its rather humiliating pissing the bed and further to that I had to clean it up and change the sheets, I couldnt even breath right. Never forget that midwife refusing to take william so I could at least try and get up. I left early as I would have been safer at home and I was I had round the clock help from other half.

Now that is awful imo, they are there to clean up after the patients!!

They where not like that when I had Alex. Big change in 2 years nearly. Though I didnt actually hardly see a care assistant only at meal times and didnt have c section. You where left to it Least the nasty care assistants and few midwives I met that where snipy about me breastfeeding where not there and nicer staff where. My hv kept telling me to complain only I just wanted to forget it and move on it was bad enough the labour without that. I also remember hanging on to a bin to try and get off the loo! now thats hurts with a c section and sore stomach muscles from induction.

 

[sjminimac]

you had to bring your own formula to the birthing centre i went to too, as far as i'm aware x

 

[highhopes19]

The reason she couldn't breast feed was beacuse the medication she is on for her gall bladder to ease the pain of that
she was told it could intefere with BF.

The ward she is on had equipment and steriliser for BF mums, but they moved the steriliser for
The FF mums to another ward.
I'll also add the steriliser stuff for BF mums to use was in a its own feeding room, I could understand
If they left it in that room there's nothing wrong with that.
And I'm sure a new mum wouldn't just see the formula stuff and think they'll give up if they see it

I'm all for premoting BF but there's a right way and a wrong way, if FF was that bad why wouldn't they just take
It off the shelves. This hospital is doing it the wrong way for putting people like
My cousin on a guilt trip if they are unable to, Or those who choose not too making them
Feel as if they are making wrong desisions and what is an already stressful time for new mums
x

 

[xUniquex]

you had to bring your own formula to the birthing centre i went to too, as far as i'm aware x

tbh i think that's how hospitals should be... why should FF mums get free formula? they didnt give me free breast pads!lol

 

[Sarah10]

Dragonfly you would think the midwives would be more for bf, surely they have to take a course or something on infant feeding before they register? glad they weren't as bad the 2nd time round, though its situations like that which makes it more harder and and people more likely to stop BFing though lack of support

 

[aliss]

Wow, I was very blessed with my nurses. I had a vaginal delivery (albeit 3 day labour with 4 hours pushing) and the nurse came in with me to the bath and helped me up the whole time as I was more exhausted than the average woman. They were good to me. However, they were very unhelpful with BF unfortunately as I had a unique circumstance and they made Alex's injury much worse shoving him on.

Your poor cousin, going through all that

 

[highhopes19]

Also my cousin was told to get as much rest as she is waiting for another operation on her gall bladder.

she already had bottles and formula with her as she new she wouldn't be able to.

I don't think formula feeding is a choice many new mums make likely, they've obviously weighed up the choices
And chosen that formula feeding would work best for them and there is nothing wrong with that

As they say mum knows best!!

 

[sjminimac]

you had to bring your own formula to the birthing centre i went to too, as far as i'm aware x

tbh i think that's how hospitals should be... why should FF mums get free formula? they didnt give me free breast pads!lol

i completely agree

 

[sjminimac]

you had to bring your own formula to the birthing centre i went to too, as far as i'm aware x

tbh i think that's how hospitals should be... why should FF mums get free formula? they didnt give me free breast pads!lol

Unless of course the mum genuinely couldn't breast feed, but if mum chooses to ff from the start she should provide her own imo

 

[Dragonfly]

The reason she couldn't breast feed was beacuse the medication she is on for her gall bladder to ease the pain of that
she was told it could intefere with BF.

The ward she is on had equipment and steriliser for BF mums, but they moved the steriliser for
The FF mums to another ward.
I'll also add the steriliser stuff for BF mums to use was in a its own feeding room, I could understand
If they left it in that room there's nothing wrong with that.
And I'm sure a new mum wouldn't just see the formula stuff and think they'll give up if they see it

I'm all for premoting BF but there's a right way and a wrong way, if FF was that bad why wouldn't they just take
It off the shelves. This hospital is doing it the wrong way for putting people like
My cousin on a guilt trip if they are unable to, Or those who choose not too making them
Feel as if they are making wrong desisions and what is an already stressful time for new mums
x

I dont get why they where trying to get her to breastfeed if she was told her meds would interfere.I do know that I have breastfed on heavy meds from the c section and birth, (both me and Alex where throwing up! and Alex was out for a day and couldnt feed). But she was on them constantly so that I dont get. Thats weird the way they have split the wards in two? everyone was mixed in mine. i was with william only one bresatfeeding and all the ff mums where shaking heads and asking me why I bothered and couldnt get over what they where seeing second time around everyone was breastfeeding!

i dont think they should give free forumla if you want or have to ff you bring your own. I had a tin in my bag.

 

[jenkins]

hi everyone,

yesterday i went to visit my cousin and new LO in hospital, she had him the day before last . he is absolutly gorgeous.
she had a rough labour and had to have a last min. emergency csection.
she also needs to have her gall bladder out as soon as

she really wanted to breast feed but was unable to (im not sure why, but i think it had somthing to do with the medication she is on ).

yesterday when we were seeing her, the baby was crying and needed feeding. i was so shocked when she told me that to encourage breast feeding there, they moved all the steralising and things needed for formula feeding to the other ward(which is a long walk away from her ward) to put them off bottle feeding. so she had to waddle in pain down to the other ward to make it (shes not just in pain from the c-section but from her gall bladder aswell). the midwife refused to help as she said she needs to get used to it! i was so shocked.


its a mothers choice how she chooses to feed her baby, but it made me feel that the hospital were kind of discriminating against mothers who choose not to or unable to breast feed in order to make them feel bad.

did you expereince this in hospital when you all had your LO's ?

I think that considering your cousin asked for help the midwife's response was disgusting.

If someone is determined to formula feed (altho i know your cousin actually couldn't) then moving equipment they need further away or hiding it behind a curtain isn't really going to make much difference anyway in my opinion.

how long will she be in for - is it worth you or someone getting a starter pack with the bottles teat etc already in from boots?

congrats on the new baby in your family too

I don't think that is the idea behind it. It's not for the mums that have already made the decision not to. It's for the mums unsure or determined to breastfeed.

sorry not sure what you mean?

Even if someone has not made a decision on whether to bf or ff would seeing the formula sway them? genuine quetion as i've never been in that position.

Also i think that different people have different motivators and drivers. For example some women may feel that they must be able to bf straight away or feel pressured into it and therefore maybe fall back on formula as it's stressful/painful etc. On the other hand other women may be encouraged that there is formula there should it be necessary in their own individual circumstance and so feel more relaxed and are able to push through initial challenges. for some its the stick or carrot so to speak!

 

[peanut56]

you had to bring your own formula to the birthing centre i went to too, as far as i'm aware x

tbh i think that's how hospitals should be... why should FF mums get free formula? they didnt give me free breast pads!lol

Unless of course the mum genuinely couldn't breast feed, but if mum chooses to ff from the start she should provide her own imo

I do agree with this. If you plan to FF from the start, you should bring your own to the hospital. I was provided formula, but it was because it was a special circumstance...I didn't have any with me because I had intended to breast feed.
But I don't think it's right to have any equipment needed (sterilizer for example, bottles are only supposed to be sterile for 24 hours, what if you're in labour for longer than that, know what I mean?) in a different ward and not give you any help when you ask for it.

 

[aob1013]

hi everyone,

yesterday i went to visit my cousin and new LO in hospital, she had him the day before last . he is absolutly gorgeous.
she had a rough labour and had to have a last min. emergency csection.
she also needs to have her gall bladder out as soon as

she really wanted to breast feed but was unable to (im not sure why, but i think it had somthing to do with the medication she is on ).

yesterday when we were seeing her, the baby was crying and needed feeding. i was so shocked when she told me that to encourage breast feeding there, they moved all the steralising and things needed for formula feeding to the other ward(which is a long walk away from her ward) to put them off bottle feeding. so she had to waddle in pain down to the other ward to make it (shes not just in pain from the c-section but from her gall bladder aswell). the midwife refused to help as she said she needs to get used to it! i was so shocked.


its a mothers choice how she chooses to feed her baby, but it made me feel that the hospital were kind of discriminating against mothers who choose not to or unable to breast feed in order to make them feel bad.

did you expereince this in hospital when you all had your LO's ?

I think that considering your cousin asked for help the midwife's response was disgusting.

If someone is determined to formula feed (altho i know your cousin actually couldn't) then moving equipment they need further away or hiding it behind a curtain isn't really going to make much difference anyway in my opinion.

how long will she be in for - is it worth you or someone getting a starter pack with the bottles teat etc already in from boots?

congrats on the new baby in your family too

I don't think that is the idea behind it. It's not for the mums that have already made the decision not to. It's for the mums unsure or determined to breastfeed.

sorry not sure what you mean?

Even if someone has not made a decision on whether to bf or ff would seeing the formula sway them? genuine quetion as i've never been in that position.

Also i think that different people have different motivators and drivers. For example some women may feel that they must be able to bf straight away or feel pressured into it and therefore maybe fall back on formula as it's stressful/painful etc. On the other hand other women may be encouraged that there is formula there should it be necessary in their own individual circumstance and so feel more relaxed and are able to push through initial challenges. for some its the stick or carrot so to speak!

I think for the NHS, they are just trying to concerntrate on the mums they could encrouage to breastfeed. So by having the formula out of the way, even for mums that have already made the decision, it could still pass their mind to maybe give it a go.

Yes, it could sway a mum who is really struggling and is getting no help. They could see that easy formuls ready to be fed to a baby and easily just give up.

It's a hard one to explain

x

 

[sjminimac]

you had to bring your own formula to the birthing centre i went to too, as far as i'm aware x

tbh i think that's how hospitals should be... why should FF mums get free formula? they didnt give me free breast pads!lol

Unless of course the mum genuinely couldn't breast feed, but if mum chooses to ff from the start she should provide her own imo

I do agree with this. If you plan to FF from the start, you should bring your own to the hospital. I was provided formula, but it was because it was a special circumstance...I didn't have any with me because I had intended to breast feed.
But I don't think it's right to have any equipment needed (sterilizer for example, bottles are only supposed to be sterile for 24 hours, what if you're in labour for longer than that, know what I mean?) in a different ward and not give you any help when you ask for it.

i agree with keeping it out of sight but not helping a lady who was clearly in distress to me goes way beyond bf/ff it's just a power hungry old bat earning her hell points. Bet that bit wasn't even hospital policy but just her being evil

 

[jenkins]

hi everyone,

yesterday i went to visit my cousin and new LO in hospital, she had him the day before last . he is absolutly gorgeous.
she had a rough labour and had to have a last min. emergency csection.
she also needs to have her gall bladder out as soon as

she really wanted to breast feed but was unable to (im not sure why, but i think it had somthing to do with the medication she is on ).

yesterday when we were seeing her, the baby was crying and needed feeding. i was so shocked when she told me that to encourage breast feeding there, they moved all the steralising and things needed for formula feeding to the other ward(which is a long walk away from her ward) to put them off bottle feeding. so she had to waddle in pain down to the other ward to make it (shes not just in pain from the c-section but from her gall bladder aswell). the midwife refused to help as she said she needs to get used to it! i was so shocked.


its a mothers choice how she chooses to feed her baby, but it made me feel that the hospital were kind of discriminating against mothers who choose not to or unable to breast feed in order to make them feel bad.

did you expereince this in hospital when you all had your LO's ?

I think that considering your cousin asked for help the midwife's response was disgusting.

If someone is determined to formula feed (altho i know your cousin actually couldn't) then moving equipment they need further away or hiding it behind a curtain isn't really going to make much difference anyway in my opinion.

how long will she be in for - is it worth you or someone getting a starter pack with the bottles teat etc already in from boots?

congrats on the new baby in your family too

I don't think that is the idea behind it. It's not for the mums that have already made the decision not to. It's for the mums unsure or determined to breastfeed.

sorry not sure what you mean?

Even if someone has not made a decision on whether to bf or ff would seeing the formula sway them? genuine quetion as i've never been in that position.

Also i think that different people have different motivators and drivers. For example some women may feel that they must be able to bf straight away or feel pressured into it and therefore maybe fall back on formula as it's stressful/painful etc. On the other hand other women may be encouraged that there is formula there should it be necessary in their own individual circumstance and so feel more relaxed and are able to push through initial challenges. for some its the stick or carrot so to speak!

I think for the NHS, they are just trying to concerntrate on the mums they could encrouage to breastfeed. So by having the formula out of the way, even for mums that have already made the decision, it could still pass their mind to maybe give it a go.

Yes, it could sway a mum who is really struggling and is getting no help. They could see that easy formuls ready to be fed to a baby and easily just give up.

It's a hard one to explain

x

perhaps - but it's not a great way to go about it in my opinion.

I think if midwives and breastfeeding 'helpers' (sorry don't know what they're called) spent more time with new mums, answered questions etc etc it would help much more.

I ff for reasons I'm not going into and I must admit that I was asked once how I was feeding LO when he was born and literally that was it. Now, I DO NOT agree with circumstances when women feel bullied or pressured etc into it but had I been in a position that I may have considered it, I wasn't given any opportunity to get any help/info had i required it iykwim?

The walk to get the bottles was always done by DH as I was in a pretty bad way so in my circumstances moving the formula or having it out of sight had absolutely no bearing.

It always seems to me that every midwife/area/hospital is so different

 

[highhopes19]

The reason she couldn't breast feed was beacuse the medication she is on for her gall bladder to ease the pain of that
she was told it could intefere with BF.

The ward she is on had equipment and steriliser for BF mums, but they moved the steriliser for
The FF mums to another ward.
I'll also add the steriliser stuff for BF mums to use was in a its own feeding room, I could understand
If they left it in that room there's nothing wrong with that.
And I'm sure a new mum wouldn't just see the formula stuff and think they'll give up if they see it

I'm all for premoting BF but there's a right way and a wrong way, if FF was that bad why wouldn't they just take
It off the shelves. This hospital is doing it the wrong way for putting people like
My cousin on a guilt trip if they are unable to, Or those who choose not too making them
Feel as if they are making wrong desisions and what is an already stressful time for new mums
x

I dont get why they where trying to get her to breastfeed if she was told her meds would interfere.I do know that I have breastfed on heavy meds from the c section and birth, (both me and Alex where throwing up! and Alex was out for a day and couldnt feed). But she was on them constantly so that I dont get. Thats weird the way they have split the wards in two? everyone was mixed in mine. i was with william only one bresatfeeding and all the ff mums where shaking heads and asking me why I bothered and couldnt get over what they where seeing second time around everyone was breastfeeding!

i dont think they should give free forumla if you want or have to ff you bring your own. I had a tin in my bag.

I don't think they were encouraging her to breast feed as they obviously knew her situation,
But when she asked where the steralising equipment was she said they had moved it to another ward
To encourage ladies to breast feed so they didn't have to walk there, but I don't think a walk
Is gonna encourage or put off a mum from breast feeding.

They were mixed wards there's one main ward and its cut off into bays with the beds and a few
Single private rooms and the feeding room which was all set up for BF mums with
All they equipment they could use including a little steraliser thing for exspressing I'm guessing
Even a few bottles for them to use. When she asked if she could use that steraliser as she was in pain that's
When they told her where it had been moved to and why it was moved

It was moved to a normal ward for pregnant women, so FF mums have to walk down past the main entrance
Of the hospital if they wanna feed their babies.

The hospital is absolutly shocking when my cousin was in labour, my aunt (her mum) was her birthpartner along
With the babys dad. My aunt was sitting in the room and there was a strong smell of urine.
It wasn't untill later on she relised it was the chair she had been sat on all night.
It had been been wee'd on that manytimes it had soaked through the cushion.
When my dad was in their with cancer her caught MRSA and they sent him home like
It at 10pm with his wound from having the tumor removed gaping open.
There was a blooded swab left on the floor all day!! And one of the nurses was so rude to my mum

There bed side manner was appauling, I'm currently training to be a nurse and then
Hoping to specialise in midwifery I would never dream of treating my patients like this!!

 

[xUniquex]

The reason she couldn't breast feed was beacuse the medication she is on for her gall bladder to ease the pain of that
she was told it could intefere with BF.

The ward she is on had equipment and steriliser for BF mums, but they moved the steriliser for
The FF mums to another ward.
I'll also add the steriliser stuff for BF mums to use was in a its own feeding room, I could understand
If they left it in that room there's nothing wrong with that.
And I'm sure a new mum wouldn't just see the formula stuff and think they'll give up if they see it

I'm all for premoting BF but there's a right way and a wrong way, if FF was that bad why wouldn't they just take
It off the shelves. This hospital is doing it the wrong way for putting people like
My cousin on a guilt trip if they are unable to, Or those who choose not too making them
Feel as if they are making wrong desisions and what is an already stressful time for new mums
x

I dont get why they where trying to get her to breastfeed if she was told her meds would interfere.I do know that I have breastfed on heavy meds from the c section and birth, (both me and Alex where throwing up! and Alex was out for a day and couldnt feed). But she was on them constantly so that I dont get. Thats weird the way they have split the wards in two? everyone was mixed in mine. i was with william only one bresatfeeding and all the ff mums where shaking heads and asking me why I bothered and couldnt get over what they where seeing second time around everyone was breastfeeding!

i dont think they should give free forumla if you want or have to ff you bring your own. I had a tin in my bag.

I don't think they were encouraging her to breast feed as they obviously knew her situation,
But when she asked where the steralising equipment was she said they had moved it to another ward
To encourage ladies to breast feed so they didn't have to walk there, but I don't think a walk
Is gonna encourage or put off a mum from breast feeding.

They were mixed wards there's one main ward and its cut off into bays with the beds and a few
Single private rooms and the feeding room which was all set up for BF mums with
All they equipment they could use including a little steraliser thing for exspressing I'm guessing
Even a few bottles for them to use. When she asked if she could use that steraliser as she was in pain that's
When they told her where it had been moved to and why it was moved

It was moved to a normal ward for pregnant women, so FF mums have to walk down past the main entrance
Of the hospital if they wanna feed their babies.

The hospital is absolutly shocking when my cousin was in labour, my aunt (her mum) was her birthpartner along
With the babys dad. My aunt was sitting in the room and there was a strong smell of urine.
It wasn't untill later on she relised it was the chair she had been sat on all night.
It had been been wee'd on that manytimes it had soaked through the cushion.
When my dad was in their with cancer her caught MRSA and they sent him home like
It at 10pm with his wound from having the tumor removed gaping open.
There was a blooded swab left on the floor all day!! And one of the nurses was so rude to my mum

There bed side manner was appauling, I'm currently training to be a nurse and then
Hoping to specialise in midwifery I would never dream of treating my patients like this!!

not being funny but if i were your cousin i would never of booked in at that hospital after what happened to your Dad! And if i did,i'd expect a poor level of care!

not saying it's ok for the hospital to be that way,because it's not, but for things like health and childbirth etc i've always researched where to go and asked others what it's like because you can't afford to take chances on health!

i hope she can get home soon xxx

 

[leelee]

I agree that if you are planning to FF from the start then you should bring in your own tin. However, the formula should be there for people can't BF for whatever reason. I defo don't think the sterlizing equipment should be kept somewhere that is awkward for a mother to get to.

I was dead set on BF and I was so grateful when I got the pre-made bottles when Max wouldn't latch on. I had never read up on formula so wouldn't have had a clue how to make up a bottle and sterilise it. I also could barely turn over in the bed never mind walk so it was great to have the midwives bringing the bottles to me. It is not something that a mother should feel guilty about at all.

 

[pinklightbulb]

I agree with aob mostly-- I am a huge BF advocate and would love for mums to BF where possible and think that hospitals keep FF equipment out of sight more for the undecided mums than for those determined to FF as they aren't going to change their mind once they have made it up in that case. In Australia BF rates are very poor as well and in my hospital they would not supply formula at all, which I don't agree with-- if it is there but out of sight it's at least still available to those mums who want/need it. I think the treatment of the OP's cousin was awful having said that. I had a section and it was very painful to walk after as well. I still did because as aob said it is good for you to move about, but that doesn't mean it isn't painful either.