Hospitals no longer providing milk !!

[MommaDucky]

When my LO was poorly and down the childrens ward, they asked if i was breastfeeding, when i said yes, they said they would provide me with meals, I guess because by feeding me i was feeding my baby. The Mums who were FF did not get fed. So i guess its how the view it down the Maternity ward too- by providing YOU with food, they are also providing your baby with food.

Mom's who formula feed do not get fed, but those who BF do? So do they still provide formula? I mean if their goal is just to feed the baby? I'm curious where this is, I've never heard of it. Just the formula not being offered.

 

[Naya69]

I think it's a joke the last thing I wanna be doing straight after giving birth is sterilising bottles!!

 

[AP]

You don't need to sterilise bottles, there's pre sterilised bottles you can buy, empty or prefilled

 

[LoraLoo]

When my LO was poorly and down the childrens ward, they asked if i was breastfeeding, when i said yes, they said they would provide me with meals, I guess because by feeding me i was feeding my baby. The Mums who were FF did not get fed. So i guess its how the view it down the Maternity ward too- by providing YOU with food, they are also providing your baby with food.

Mom's who formula feed do not get fed, but those who BF do? So do they still provide formula? I mean if their goal is just to feed the baby? I'm curious where this is, I've never heard of it. Just the formula not being offered.

Well I'm in England and it was an NHS hospital, I believe most NHS hospitals are the same now. I think their policy was the same as when a baby is born- they provide for the fist few hours/ day, and then you take your own in- I saw Mums using their own bottles but never asked.

 

[LoraLoo]

I think it's a joke the last thing I wanna be doing straight after giving birth is sterilising bottles!!

Breastfeeding is hard work too!

 

[lilyd]

Some hospitals stopped providing formula years ago, my LO was born early 2010 & the hospital had already stopped providing it back then.

 

[LoraLoo]

Some hospitals stopped providing formula years ago, my LO was born early 2010 & the hospital had already stopped providing it back then.

Even when my hospital DID provide formula- Mums still had to take their own bottles and sterilise them down the ward etc. You do it at home, i dont see what the big deal is doing it in hospital. Giving birth isnt an illness, within 24 hours of some of my births i had been home, done all the washing, picked the kids up from school and been shopping!

I wonder if people expect the midwives to change their babys bum and get up with them during the night too?! xx

 

[LolaAnn]

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

What's the difference? Huge! Mums should be encouraged to feed their babies the best, that's what the NHS is there for and I can't believe its taken so long for them to help promote something so free and healthy. I've nothing against people who need to formula feed but the amount of formula pushed on unsuspecting mums at birth is ridiculous. Like others have said, formula is only needed in exceptional circumstances. In no way should it be a lifestyle choice!

 

[Bergebabe]

Personally i think the nhs service is taken for granted, theres always the option to go private if people want a hotel style experience. Also in sure ut was mentioned that bottles would be available to buy from vending machines, its not like they,re expecting babies to starve, just for people to pay for it.

 

[jenniferttc1]

I don't see it as a big deal. Your in there for a short time and have to provide your own milk at home also. If its the same there as my hospital, the formula is donated by the formula company to promote their product. But if it is to cut cost from what I've read on here is the UK hospitals are running low on funds and formula seems like a reasonable cut to me. They could use that money on equipment and stuff. I think its great they promote breast feeding, but should jeep some in storage for mommies that just can't do it and need backup. If you don't plan to try at all just bring a few ready made cans

 

[Emerald87]

I think the bottom line is to be PREPARED!! Some ladies have been say "oh I don't know where I could get formula" "how can I sterilise bottles?" etc. etc. Well my advice is to do your homework before you go into labour. Of course, emergency situations are entirely different and are not a point here.

How many sources on hospital bags have you read? Food isn't provided for DH and it recommends to pack small, non-perishable meals for him to eat while he's there. They shouldn't have to provide for him while you're in a 36 hour labour - and they don't; thus you have a cuppa-noodles in your bag.
Nappies, always bring nappies. They may not provide nappies, or they may provide crappy ones that you won't want. Another preparation point.

As for the formula - they will supply it in a emergency/high need situation. I'm sorry but you have breasts. If you choose (huge difference between choice and being unable) not to use them then you should supply your own formula. You have prepared for FF when you're home so prepare for FF when you give birth. Pre-prepare bottles, buy ready sized formula sachets. Find out your surrounding stores so your OH can duck down if needed; google maps will help there. If you don't know how you will be FF in those first couple of days either find out in advance or breast-feed.
I'm not saying BF Mums shouldn't be prepared either - I'm going to a BF'ing class while I'm pregnant and thus I've done my preparation for the choice I've made.

As for the feeding Mum feeding Bub comparison - that's just silly. We don't have ready made breast-equivalents there for us. Our food is the one they provide and if you choose not to eat it (for various reasons) you prepare and pack/source your own. If you can't eat it due to food intolerance etc. they don't just disregard you, they will give an alternative meal.

There's a massive difference if you're going public/private. If you're going private and paying through the nose you have a right to ask for a non-essential item. You are going to be given essential items or items you don't have, need urgently and cannot get in due time. I've noticed a few think that it's like being left out in the cold; it's nothing like that.

As a few have pointed out it's about the health care not about the convenience or luxuries. I think it's luxurious that I will be given a bed, clean sheets and my baby will be cared for for the 2 or so days post birth.

As for the reasons; sure it's about cost-cuts but if they want to also promote breast feeding then good on them. It's a hospital - they're going to recommend the most healthy option for the newborn (and I'm not getting into a debate here; fact if BF is the better alternative if you have a choice).

 

[ticking.clock]

So it's ok to give alcoholics extra cash each week to fund their drinking (YES this really happens) but not a few bottles of milk for a newborn?
I was out of hospital in less than 24 hours with each of my kids, not many in the uk are in for days now unless there's complications so no I think it should be free,
No different to the free milk kids get in nursery school!

 

[jenniferttc1]

Imo 1 day is not going to hurt your pocket nearly as much as it would to a hospital supplying for every baby.

 

[ticking.clock]

It's more the principle of it,
I'm glad I'm having a home birth x

 

[Emerald87]

So it's ok to give alcoholics extra cash each week to fund their drinking (YES this really happens) but not a few bottles of milk for a newborn?
I was out of hospital in less than 24 hours with each of my kids, not many in the uk are in for days now unless there's complications so no I think it should be free,
No different to the free milk kids get in nursery school!

Clock, love you dearly, but it is a bit of a silly comparison. No, it's not right to fund their drinking but that has nothing to do with preparation in regards to your newborn. Why can't you supply the less than 24hrs of milk? Like PP said, it'll cost you relatively less while saving your UK system hundreds of thousands that they can re-route into e.g. hiring more midwives.

The alcoholics thing is also harm minimisation in some regards (I don't want to go into public health strategies, it's a whole different topic). They will harm minimise with your baby too if there is a valid reason that you can't supply your own - not just that someone was inadequately prepared or forgot.

As for the nursery; you're paying for that - it's not "free".

Like I said; it comes down to preparation. It also seems to come down to "entitlement"; I feel any kind of government health care (such as the UK system and our Australian public system) is a blessing and a privilege, not an entitlement. They should only supply the things we can't; health care, ultrasound, sutures, oxygen etc.
Anything else I'm more than happy to pack.

Just a question though, as I am not completely familiar with the NHS; can you opt to go private over there like we can here in Aust?

 

[babyjo]

You can opt to go to a private hospital but I don't think it's worth it because if something very serious went wrong with you or baby you'd be carted off to the nhs special care baby unit as what happened to a friend!!! You can also sometimes get a private room in an nhs hospital but no extras.

I'd never considered packing food for my OH. Great tip.

 

[miss cakes]

this was all going around lst year when i ws pregnant with my daughter allover babynbump people were saying that hospitals were stopping baby milk however when i asked my midwife she laughed in my face said absolutely not they wouldnt be able to do that there is so many circumstances like emergancy births and so on where they would need to hve milk on hand so they could never just stop supplying them x

 

[babyjo]

I too think the NHS is taken for granted especially as someone who works in it!

It's my first child so I don't know how I will get on with breast feeding. I will try my hardest for what is best and natural for my child. I'm planning to breast feed but was also planning on bringing to the hospital my own prepacked formula just in case. It's my child and I want to pick what brands of nappies, milk, wipes I use especially in the first couple of days!!!

Rare cases, emergencies etc baby formula will be provided if needed..... Just not for healthy mothers and babies.

Give the NHS a break!

 

[Scuba]

I have no problem at all with buying my own formula to take in with me, it's no big deal far as I can see. The thing I do have issue with is the logic behind it.. If it was to save money on the nhs I'd be perfectly happy, but if its purely to promote breast feeding, I feel that's already forced upon women from the word go. It's every woman's own body and her own choice. While I don't feel nhs should pay for bottles for FF'ing mums (why should they really?) I do feel more support needs to be given to mums who choose bottle feeding, rather than them being glared at and treated like outcasts!xx

 

[Emerald87]

I have no problem at all with buying my own formula to take in with me, it's no big deal far as I can see. The thing I do have issue with is the logic behind it.. If it was to save money on the nhs I'd be perfectly happy, but if its purely to promote breast feeding, I feel that's already forced upon women from the word go. It's every woman's own body and her own choice. While I don't feel nhs should pay for bottles for FF'ing mums (why should they really?) I do feel more support needs to be given to mums who choose bottle feeding, rather than them being glared at and treated like outcasts!xx

Yes, people should be given a choice but we are talking here in the context of a healthcare system. They are going to push and push hard the healthiest choice (inability to BF is different). Just like vaccination, a hospital is going to push vaccination and shun those who don't vaccinate - sure it's ultimately up to the choice of the individual but they're going to promote and support what is deemed as the healthier option.
Support for those who choose to FF can be found if you ask for it, but it usually going to be found outside the boundaries of acute hospital care.