Should formula milk be supplied in hospitals?

[Foogirl]

I've never seen formula in a vending machine anywhere and now I am wondering why!

 

[Tasha]

Me neither. I guess there is no market for it in general or that keeping it with other things in a vending machine might be difficult because I imagine it has to be stored at the right temperature as obviously they have to be very careful about bacteria.

 

[AP]

I was thinking that too Tasha

 

[AP]

Oh look
https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/smallbusiness/1109/gallery.innovation_vending_machine/8.html

 

[Tasha]

I want one when I have a new baby

 

[Natsku]

Me neither. I guess there is no market for it in general or that keeping it with other things in a vending machine might be difficult because I imagine it has to be stored at the right temperature as obviously they have to be very careful about bacteria.

Ready-made cartons could be stored at room temperature fine in a vending machine

 

[Twister]

No I don't think it should be readily available. In emergencies (problems with breastfeeding, being admitted to the NICU etc) then yes of course, but if a mum plans to bottle feed from the off then she should be prepared, just like we are with nappies, clothes, wipes etc.

The NHS is stretched enough, this just seems like an unnecessary expenditure. Especially when you hear of people taking advantage of the system, I've heard of people telling others to take all the free formula they can get because it's free and they're entitled to it Which is wrong and isn't how it's supposed to work imo. It's a resource to be used when needed, not a freebie.

 

[AP]

^ I've heard that too!

 

[Tasha]

When Morgan was in hospital at six weeks old a family as they were just walking into the storage cupboard, taking two to three bottles every couple of hours but then just before discharge they walked in and tried to take a whole packet probably about 50 bottles there hubby stopped them and got the nurses across.

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

Yeah it should, because not every mum can or wants to bf. some don't feel comfortable, or ready or other reasons about bf, so they shouldn't be singled out.
I FF my daughter for first 3 days for personal reasons, then bf through encouragement but I felt forced tbf.
Gave up at 6 weeks and didn't harm my monster

 

[Pearls18]

Yeah it should, because not every mum can or wants to bf. some don't feel comfortable, or ready or other reasons about bf, so they shouldn't be singled out.
I FF my daughter for first 3 days for personal reasons, then bf through encouragement but I felt forced tbf.
Gave up at 6 weeks and didn't harm my monster

If FF is planned why can't they bring their own in? You could argue BFers are left out because they are having less money spent on them as they don't need the formula. BF mums bring their own milk, FF mums should do the same, the fact one is easier to forget than the other is of no one's fault and shouldn't make FF mums a special case.

When choosing how to feed FFers will have considered the cost of milk, the hassle of bottles, remembering it etc, they are some of the downsides, they should be prepared for them and lie in the bed theyve chosen to make, not expect others to provide for them. As many others have said we need to differ between those who choose and those who have had to.

 

[sue_88]

I want the NHS to provide my Breast Pads and Lanolin dammit

 

[special_kala]

Yeah it should, because not every mum can or wants to bf. some don't feel comfortable, or ready or other reasons about bf, so they shouldn't be singled out.
I FF my daughter for first 3 days for personal reasons, then bf through encouragement but I felt forced tbf.
Gave up at 6 weeks and didn't harm my monster

If FF is planned why can't they bring their own in? You could argue BFers are left out because they are having less money spent on them as they don't need the formula. BF mums bring their own milk, FF mums should do the same, the fact one is easier to forget than the other is of no one's fault and shouldn't make FF mums a special case.

When choosing how to feed FFers will have considered the cost of milk, the hassle of bottles, remembering it etc, they are some of the downsides, they should be prepared for them and lie in the bed theyve chosen to make, not expect others to provide for them. As many others have said we need to differ between those who choose and those who have had to.

I never thought about it like that, made me giggle for some reason

 

[staralfur]

Yeah it should, because not every mum can or wants to bf. some don't feel comfortable, or ready or other reasons about bf, so they shouldn't be singled out.

It's not singling them out, I'm sure FF moms and babies still get the same attention and care that BF moms/babies do.

If you don't want to breastfeed, that's your CHOICE. As a PP said, that choice comes with the cost of formula. Breastfeeding is the norm, I'm not sure why people's taxes should pay for other people's decisions to choose a more expensive alternative.

 

[Twister]

I don't understand how it's singling anyone out. If hospitals didn't provide formula (with the exception of emergencies) in the first place this discussion wouldn't be happening and no one would bat an eyelid. The money spent on giving away so much formula when mums can bring their own could be better spent on more worthwhile things like better midwife care/more midwives, lactation consultants and more information/demonstrations on how to safely prepare formula and bottles. And it would stop people taking advantage of the system and draining the nhs even more than it needs to be.

To say people will be being singled out is ridiculous, to be quite honest.

 

[teal]

I don't think not supplying formula is singling anyone out.

 

[Tasha]

I want the NHS to provide my Breast Pads and Lanolin dammit

You need breast pads regardless of how you feed in the first few days. And you can lanolin cream on prescription (although it is a medical need so different but just pointing out incase people aren't aware).

 

[teal]

I want the NHS to provide my Breast Pads and Lanolin dammit

You need breast pads regardless of how you feed in the first few days. And you can lanolin cream on prescription (although it is a medical need so different but just pointing out incase people aren't aware).

Is this newly on prescription or does it maybe vary in area? I asked for it on prescription (my nipples were cracked and bleeding) after a midwife gave me a sachet in hospital but was told it wasn't on prescription. Unless my drs just went aware of it since breastfeeding is really low in this area.

 

[Button#]

Me neither. I guess there is no market for it in general or that keeping it with other things in a vending machine might be difficult because I imagine it has to be stored at the right temperature as obviously they have to be very careful about bacteria.

Ready-made cartons could be stored at room temperature fine in a vending machine

That's what they had in my hospital I think. I didn't go and look but I heard a midwife telling a patient to go and buy some from the vending machine, pretty sure she said a carton.

 

[kerrie24]

I want the NHS to provide my Breast Pads and Lanolin dammit

You need breast pads regardless of how you feed in the first few days. And you can lanolin cream on prescription (although it is a medical need so different but just pointing out incase people aren't aware).

Is this newly on prescription or does it maybe vary in area? I asked for it on prescription (my nipples were cracked and bleeding) after a midwife gave me a sachet in hospital but was told it wasn't on prescription. Unless my drs just went aware of it since breastfeeding is really low in this area.

I had to buy mine,best tenner I ever spent
I still use it now for chapped lips!