Hospitals no longer providing milk !!

[Skye1]

Just found out today that from the end of this month the maternity units/wards will no longer be supplying milk for newborns......


You wont be allowed to bring in powdered milk, its gotta be those ready made cartons or they will have a milk vending machine.

They say its to promote breastfeeding .... Me thinks its to save money !



What's your views on this ??? I heard they saved millions when they stopped providing nappies in hospitals.


I kinda of think it's fair enough, why should the NHS fork out all that money for milk to feed YOUR child ??

I remember being in with ella and after 3 days of not getting anywhere with breastfeeding I asked for a bottle as she was starving and I was suprised when they didn't ask for money !!

 

[Pennyb]

I went on a hospital tour two weeks ago and they said they do supply the milk, maybe this is applicable for all hospitals.

 

[time]

i have heard this before, as i am unsure whether i am going to breastfeed yet and so looked in to what happens if you don't..

it turns out at my local hospital you either have to take in steriliser, bottles, formula etc or buy those readymade bottles from cow and gate! i can see why they have done it, if it is to promote breastfeeding, and i think some women who were on the fence could be swayed by the fact that they would have to take their own milk in! but for ladies like yourself who planned on breastfeeding and couldn't, you may not have brought a load of ready made bottles in with you!!

it's just something we will get used to adding into the hospital bag i guess!

 

[nickibrum]

I knew back when I was 10 weeks that my hospital no longer provides milk. To be honest I dont think they should have too. I have a feeling they keep some emergency so if they dont take to breastfeeding they will give you one bottle, so that you partner or family can nip to the shops and get a supply for you.

 

[Inoue]

You can buy ready made cartons of newborn milk?! I thought it was only power and you do the rest . Either way, i dont blame the NHS. Although i think its abit harsh if women decide they dont want to breast feed but it will save the NHS millions in the long run. Id rather them cut costs on stuff like nappies and milk instead of equipment and technology x

 

[time]

You can buy ready made cartons of newborn milk?! I thought it was only power and you do the rest . Either way, i dont blame the NHS. Although i think its abit harsh if women decide they dont want to breast feed but it will save the NHS millions in the long run. Id rather them cut costs on stuff like nappies and milk instead of equipment and technology x

yeah you can buy either the ready made cartons or actual ready made bottles (sterile) for those first few days which seem very easy and means you don't even have to make up bottles/sterilise.

https://www.mothercare.com/Cow-and-...20Starter%20Pack%20from%20Newborn%20Stage%201

 

[time]

and i completely agree i would much rather they spent their money on updating equipment for premies etc than on milk which we can buy ourselves i guess!

 

[Inoue]

^ Thanks for the link Time. I had no idea companys did ready made milk?! Im amazed. Guess it would be handy for us then to get a few bottles near to the time and put them in the hospital bag, just incase breast feeding cannot be done. Another thing to add to the hospital bag list! x

 

[Jade--x]

I think if they came forward and said 'its to save money as we're in a recession and milks expensive' everyone would be like fair enough - But because they're saying 'ohh its to promote breastfeeding' - I don't agree. I don't know about other people but I was constantly pressured into breastfeeding..I was being stitched up and holding baby and the MW just come and got my boob out and stuck his head on saying he's hungry without so much as asking me what I wanted! And being stitched and in agony and really stressed is not the time to just spring that on someone. He then couldn't latch on and she blamed me! I just think they do enough 'promoting' and not enough supporting women that decide not to/cant. I'd prefer to take my own milk tbh I was paranoid about where it had been etc x

 

[MissCherry15]

hospitals in our area stopped providing milk blankets clothes or nappies for any newborns months ago. i think its ridiculous, what if you go into labour without your bag rushed to hospital, you cant clothe feed or keep your baby warm!!

 

[time]

i'd love to know what happens to the women who 'don't know they're pregnant' and go into labour! would they have to send someone out to buy everything straight away because the hospital even give a bottle, clothes, nappy etc?!

 

[nickibrum]

Im sure somewhere they would have reserves for emergencies but to be honest, I think in most hospital shops now you can get nappies and milk- or they should make the shop stock them if they are no longer providing them.

 

[LoraLoo]

I'm pretty sure in those emergency cases they would provide milk until you could get your own.

I dont think they should provide formula- breast milk is free, if you CHOOSE another alternative, then you should have to pay for it, not the NHS.

 

[time]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/...Trust-withdraws-free-formula-milk-babies.html


here is the official article, they will still be providing it in emergency situations

 

[Pennyb]

I am hoping to breastfeed, however if it does not work for us I will have no qualms moving to formula. When I did the hospital tour the midwifes were very supportive of this and said whilst yes breastfeeding is great it does not work for everyone.

I will double check with the hospital closer to the time to see if they have stopped supplying milk, in case breast feeding does not work for us.

The milk policy seems to differ across hospitals and PCTs currently. I think to give fairness they should all agree on one policy and stick to it to avoid confusion.

I have no issue supplying my own milk as long as they are clear about this.

 

[weerach]

Well if my hospital do this i'll be taking my steriliser etc with me, and if i have a section i'll be bed bound for 24hours so will be interesting to see if the nurses want to stand and sort my childs bottles out lol.

 

[MommaDucky]

I'm not sure what I feel about it, but the reasoning behind it...that makes me angry. My husband has Classic Galactosemia, I don't know if I'm a carrier because insurance wont let me get tested. Milk could literally kill my children if they have it. I had to start with soy. Had I brought one kind in we would have been in such trouble because the first formula resulted in projectile vomit, the second wasn't much better, the third was finally ok. But how was I suppose to know? We pay them a horrendous amount of money already. But having it there was something that we actually needed.

 

[ticking.clock]

I think it's wrong, what next...... Provide your own meals while in hospital?
Seriously what's the difference???

 

[LoraLoo]

I think it's wrong, what next...... Provide your own meals while in hospital?
Seriously what's the difference???

The difference is, you are the patient, not your baby. You get provided with an NHS meal because there is no other free alternative.

You get provided with a basic meal in hospital that meets your nutritional needs. Would you turn round and say that you were turning down the 'free' meal and ask them to make you steak instead? Same principle imo.

The NHS is so short of money, cut backs are being made, and the money they are saving will be able to go to much better use.

 

[tabitha561]

I'm not sure what I feel about it, but the reasoning behind it...that makes me angry. My husband has Classic Galactosemia, I don't know if I'm a carrier because insurance wont let me get tested. Milk could literally kill my children if they have it. I had to start with soy. Had I brought one kind in we would have been in such trouble because the first formula resulted in projectile vomit, the second wasn't much better, the third was finally ok. But how was I suppose to know? We pay them a horrendous amount of money already. But having it there was something that we actually needed.

There in the Uk It is a lot different then the Us When I was in the hospital the provided everything for me It was very nice... I guess that is why we have insurance over here hospital told me take whatever I wanted diapers,wipes,formula,nail clippers,blankets,thermator w/e was in the room that wasnt tied down pretty much It was really nice