In relation to hospital feeding procedures

[Nibblenic]

Following on from the should the NHS provide formula thread.

I was on the Childrens ward with my 1 month old daughter. They did not provide her formula. (When we were on the labour ward she was provided with formula) I would have been provided with a meal IF I had been breast feeding. However as I was not breast feeding I was not porvided with a meal. However I was required to say with her as she was only 1 month old and very poorly at the time.

Is this right?

At the time I never really though about it as obviously I was worried for my baby.

However in light of the recent debate its got me questioning the different treatment between BF mother and FFing mother on the NHS


I would like to add that we were back on that same childrens ward recently as lo had a nasty fall and she was fed and I wasnt, obviously. However it seemed much different as she was much more able to be left for a short while with OH or even one of the nurses

 

[Eternal]

I always thought it odd too with regards to food, my LO was in hospital having sugery at 6 weeks, he was bottled fed, there was milk provided for baby.

However we had to stay with LO 24 hours a day for days, we were not allowed to leave him and we were also not allowed to bring hot food onto the ward, however the child in the bed opposite was breast feeding and all her meals we provided.

Im not bothered that our meals werent provided, but it was really unfair that i wasnt allowed to buy anything hot to eat and bring back while the woman opposite was provided with these things, and she could leave her baby!

 

[Blah11]

Sorry, yes I think it is. You're not the patient, your daughter is. Not sure I agree with feeding BF mothers either though. Maybe it's because they need to be around 24/7 incase LO needs a feed where as formula fed babies can be fed by anyone

eta - why are you required to stay with her? What did you do when you needed to go to the toilet or had to eat That seems a bit silly.

 

[Eternal]

Im not complaing about not being provided food, im complaining about not being able to bring food onto the ward.

I was not allowed to leave him as he was poorly and would pull all his tubes out even at just 6 weeks.

If i needed th toilet i would wait until my husband was around, or someone, or if it during the night i would ask a nurse to watch him while i poped to the loo. My Oh and i took shifts, although i could bearly leave him as i was in such a state, so in all the time he was in hospital all i ate was sandwiches, crisps, chocolate etc.

I think its unfair that i couldnt bring hot food onto the ward when the woman opposite was being privided with hot food. And like i say she could leave, her baby was a lot older and she would leave to take a shower or make a phone call etc, where we couldnt do that.

The times when my son managed to knock or pull his ivs and lines it took hours and several attempts to resite it as his veins were in such a state. And having NG tubes put down time and time again isnt pleasant either.

I understand my son was the patient and thats fine, But its not fair when one person is treated one way and someone else another. As i said she didnt need to be there all the time, infact i was the only one who did need to be as even though there were children much sicker then mine they were sedated.

 

[justlove]

I actually think that is awful that your 1month old was not provided with a formula yet did they have any facilities whereas you were able to make & prepare your own bottle?

2weeks ago I took LO to HV for weight check ended up having to get appointment with drs bout 2hrs later who then said I had to take LO straight up hospital Pediatrics ward i had already given LO bottle & cartoon that i took wif me at the baby clinic i had only 1change of clothes & 2nappies on me (i was going to be on the bus home - i dont drive well and truly in time before next feed). I had bought box of formula & nappies on my way to HV as I had run out. But by time i got to see Pediatrician LO was due a feed, but before I even explained why I didnt have any bottles/feed on me she asked me which brand I used and went off came back with jug of hot water and formula bottle.

In answer to your question thought I actually believe that its not down to weather u BF or FF I think it down to each hospital, as from my recent experience I see the nurses and midwifes giving equal support to both and I didnt feel like they where judgemental in anyway like they was in the hospital I had my daughter in many many moons ago.

 

[Blah11]

Oh thats crap. I remember when I got my tonsils out when I was 11 and my dad went and got a dominos for him and my mum They ate it in my room

 

[Eternal]

yeah i remember simular when i was in hospital, my dad bought everyone on the ward and the nurses mcdonalds lol!

They have rules about it not being safe to bring hot things onto the ward! how stupid, when there are people eating hot things on the ward! grrrr ... i think its down to hospitals though, as i say the one i was at did provide formula for sam. he obviously didnt get much until we were going home and they were in glass bottles with measurments on it as we had to give him certain amounts and monitor it, so they were brilliant.

 

[justlove]

Also when my LO was in special baby care unit they also offered me sarnies but then again I was still a patient on the mother n baby ward (only whilst bed werent needed) but I also used to watch parents come and go with there own food, had a parents room to make tea and coffee also a kitchen to make up bottles, they even sterilized my LO dummies. They even put my LO clothes in there tumble dryer cos my daughter couldnt wash n dry and bring them back up hospital quick enough than he was puking on them.

 

[Nibblenic]

eta - why are you required to stay with her? What did you do when you needed to go to the toilet or had to eat That seems a bit silly.

Simply because you had to supervise to make sure they didnt pull tubes out, we're physically sick etc.
Like if it were an adult they would ring the call bell if they felt something was wrong, obviously small babies children can not so your meant to be there at all times. Which yes OH was there some of the time however we both counldnt be off work unpaid on emergancy leave

SO yeah thats the answer

 

[Blah11]

What's the staffing ratio like in children wards? Was your LO in high dependance?

 

[sophxx]

my lo was on the childrens ward and this is one thing that we put a big complaint in about on a postive they have added a parents room now with kettle plates and microwave but its hard if your on your own i couldnt leave lo as you werent aloud we had been rushed there from the docs they gave us a nappy and formula but wouldnt let me get any food

they do now have a food cart that they sell canteen food such as sandwhiches fruit crisps drinks ect so thats a positive that came out of the big complaint we made x

 

[Nibblenic]

What's the staffing ratio like in children wards? Was your LO in high dependance?

Nope she wasnt high dependace, oterh than being 4 weeks old with severe vomiting

Im not sure about staff ratios as i never counted the room. But as others have said you really were expected to be with you lo 24/7 literally

 

[special_kala]

I think if a baby is admitted into hospital the they should be provided with formula

 

[Janidog]

Following on from the should the NHS provide formula thread.

I was on the Childrens ward with my 1 month old daughter. They did not provide her formula. (When we were on the labour ward she was provided with formula) I would have been provided with a meal IF I had been breast feeding. However as I was not breast feeding I was not porvided with a meal. However I was required to say with her as she was only 1 month old and very poorly at the time.

Is this right?

At the time I never really though about it as obviously I was worried for my baby.

However in light of the recent debate its got me questioning the different treatment between BF mother and FFing mother on the NHS


I would like to add that we were back on that same childrens ward recently as lo had a nasty fall and she was fed and I wasnt, obviously. However it seemed much different as she was much more able to be left for a short while with OH or even one of the nurses

When we had to rush my LO to hospital at 8 weeks, the hospital provided us with formula and nappies

 

[Eternal]

its clear dependant on hospitals, when we were in we were given a room, we paid a small amount for it but could take it in turns to sleep.

Baby wasnt high dependancy but normal ward, obviously in the nursery. There was 4 babies in our room but the nurses covered several rooms, so didnt have much support, was actuall easier at night, was able to ask a couple of times for people to watch for 5 minutes for me to pee.

 

[ttc_lolly]

They didn't provide your daughter with formula? That's wrong - as she was the patient, she most definitely should have. You not being the patient or supplying LO with BM shouldn't be given meals IMO x

 

[indy and lara]

Emma was in SCBU at birth. I was on the maternity ward without her for 3 days and during this time I did have meals provided. I was then discharged and stayed in a 4 bedded room in SCBU. I was BF but all that was provided was rolls and jam at breakfast. When she was 10 days old we were readmitted and the meal situation was the same.

I didn't expect them to feed me tbh. We were able to bring food into the parents' area and I went to the hospital canteen for lunch and tea. There was no difference between BF and FF mums- we all were responsible for feeding ourselves.

They did however provide formula for babies in SCBU as they offered it to me even though feeding was going fine. I am not sure how many of the LOs were like us though and readmissions.

 

[Laura2919]

Chloe and Jaycee were born at 29 weeks. I expressed milk for them and while they were at the hospital 70 miles away from me I managed to build up a fair bit of milk and store it in the freezer at the hospital. When my girls were brought back up the dizzy nurse forgot my milk and it defrosted so they couldnt use it and it put me under loads of pressure so I made the decision that I was going to switch them, they at first were on aptamil but it didnt have the nutritional value the girls needed so they moved them onto Nutri-prem2, its only available through the NHS so I didnt pay for a single tub of formula, they were reviewed at 6 months and they told me to keep them on it and the next review would be 1, by then they were on cows milk. When the Jaycee was admitted to hospital when she was 10 months old I was told I had to provide everything, I wasnt given any food myself because I was formula feeding and I had to get the lady across to watch her while I popped to the cafe to get myself something and I did the same for her. I didnt expect them to feed me cos the care is about my child not me.

 

[leash27]

My LO was in hospital for surgery when he was 8 weeks old and I had to stay with him overnight. I was encouraged to help myself to the little bottle of formula for him whenever I needed them and they had all different brands available too. The same rules applied regarding meals for the parents though, we were not provided with a meal (not that I expected/wanted it anyway) but the BF mums on the ward were. It does seem a little unfair I suppose, espcecially if you are unable to leave your baby to go to the canteen. Our hospital also had a parents room with a kettle, microwave etc but we were only in for a couple of days so survived on sandwiches and crisps - nice and healthy lol.

x

 

[smokey]

I never knew there was such differances between hospitals.
My hospital have always been brilliant, when LO was born and we had a lot of trouble getting him to latch they offered formula but I already had some of the cartons in my bag just in case and they where great about offering steralising equipment and a place to make them up.
When LO was in hospital at 5weeks the nurses where great about offering me tea, sandwiches and such ( I never asked for them) because we had got in quite late and asked if we needed any premade formula.
I also got offered breakfast and lunch the next day.
Also the nurses where great if you needed to pop out at all, phone reception was bad at the time so a couple of times I had to pop out to make a call or go collect his bags and car seat from the car and the nurses where glad enough to keep an eye on LO while I was gone a few minutes.
I even came back one time during the night to find one of the nurses walking up and down with LO singing to him because he had woken up while I was gone, he loves a girl in uniform
I was pretty much offered everything I could need while there, formula, nappies, food for myself even something to read and I just always nievly thought thats what most hospitals where like, im shocked to find out differently.

Another thing we where offered that it seems no where else realy does is even OH was given toast, sanwiches and coffee when I was having LO