Should formula milk be supplied in hospitals?

[Twister]

But if they didn't supply formula then they would have to change their policy and let people bring their own. I really don't see any reason why a hospital should supply formula (with the exception of emergencies of course), when it's easy enough for mums who decide to formula feed to go and buy a pack of ready made bottles The fact that so many hospitals (including my own) give it a way so freely seems like it's more of a goodwill gesture rather than a medical necessity. It's money that could be saved or spent elsewhere. You bring everything else you need for your stay in hospital (and possibly extra stuff which doesn't get used), why not formula as well?

Like Tasha said we are incredibly lucky to have the NHS, but it is in a bad way right now. Every little helps.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

It was not given out freely though. It was locked away. I got given two at a time then I had to ask x

 

[fides]

But if they didn't supply formula then they would have to change their policy and let people bring their own. I really don't see any reason why a hospital should supply formula (with the exception of emergencies of course), when it's easy enough for mums who decide to formula feed to go and buy a pack of ready made bottles The fact that so many hospitals (including my own) give it a way so freely seems like it's more of a goodwill gesture rather than a medical necessity. It's money that could be saved or spent elsewhere. You bring everything else you need for your stay in hospital (and possibly extra stuff which doesn't get used), why not formula as well?

Like Tasha said we are incredibly lucky to have the NHS, but it is in a bad way right now. Every little helps.

If it's just an argument about cost, then let's be consistent. If you're going to cut costs by cutting out baby food, you should also go ahead and cut out food for moms, disposable diapers, nose bulbs, humidifiers, disposable post-partum pads for mothers, hospital-grade breast pumps, breast pads, paid lactation consultants, gas&air, epidural w/o medical necessity, etc when every little bit helps. I mean, if the argument is that mothers can bring in their own formula, then they can also bring in their own food, maternity pads, supplies for their babies, and breast pumps, right? Plus, if they DECIDE to hire lactation consultants or an anesthesiologist for pain relief for the delivery, then why not go ahead and have them pay for those, too, since that was their CHOICE?

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

With my dd I was planning to bf but changed my mind when she was born.

Also agree with fides.

 

[MommyJogger]

But if they didn't supply formula then they would have to change their policy and let people bring their own. I really don't see any reason why a hospital should supply formula (with the exception of emergencies of course), when it's easy enough for mums who decide to formula feed to go and buy a pack of ready made bottles The fact that so many hospitals (including my own) give it a way so freely seems like it's more of a goodwill gesture rather than a medical necessity. It's money that could be saved or spent elsewhere. You bring everything else you need for your stay in hospital (and possibly extra stuff which doesn't get used), why not formula as well?

Like Tasha said we are incredibly lucky to have the NHS, but it is in a bad way right now. Every little helps.

If it's just an argument about cost, then let's be consistent. If you're going to cut costs by cutting out baby food, you should also go ahead and cut out food for moms, disposable diapers, nose bulbs, humidifiers, disposable post-partum pads for mothers, hospital-grade breast pumps, breast pads, paid lactation consultants, gas&air, epidural w/o medical necessity, etc when every little bit helps. I mean, if the argument is that mothers can bring in their own formula, then they can also bring in their own food, maternity pads, supplies for their babies, and breast pumps, right? Plus, if they DECIDE to hire lactation consultants or an anesthesiologist for pain relief for the delivery, then why not go ahead and have them pay for those, too, since that was their CHOICE?

Sorry if it's different here and there, but the mom is a patient at the hospital and the baby's not. All of those things you list are for use by the mother, and some (pump, lactation consultant, gas tanks, anesthesiologist, humidifiers) are all re-usable/shared things. Formula is a "use it and it's gone" thing. I don't think they should provide diapers or breast pads, either. But when you weigh how much money the system is saved by a higher percentage of women breastfeeding and the fact that infants in developed countries also die each year in ways that may have been prevented by bf, it just makes sense to make sure that the women who want to bf receive what they need to succeed.

 

[Twister]

But if they didn't supply formula then they would have to change their policy and let people bring their own. I really don't see any reason why a hospital should supply formula (with the exception of emergencies of course), when it's easy enough for mums who decide to formula feed to go and buy a pack of ready made bottles The fact that so many hospitals (including my own) give it a way so freely seems like it's more of a goodwill gesture rather than a medical necessity. It's money that could be saved or spent elsewhere. You bring everything else you need for your stay in hospital (and possibly extra stuff which doesn't get used), why not formula as well?

Like Tasha said we are incredibly lucky to have the NHS, but it is in a bad way right now. Every little helps.

If it's just an argument about cost, then let's be consistent. If you're going to cut costs by cutting out baby food, you should also go ahead and cut out food for moms, disposable diapers, nose bulbs, humidifiers, disposable post-partum pads for mothers, hospital-grade breast pumps, breast pads, paid lactation consultants, gas&air, epidural w/o medical necessity, etc when every little bit helps. I mean, if the argument is that mothers can bring in their own formula, then they can also bring in their own food, maternity pads, supplies for their babies, and breast pumps, right? Plus, if they DECIDE to hire lactation consultants or an anesthesiologist for pain relief for the delivery, then why not go ahead and have them pay for those, too, since that was their CHOICE?

Most of the things you mentioned aren't readily supplied by the NHS. You are expected to bring your own nappies, maternity pads, breast pads etc. Although i'm sure most hospitals will have some on hand just in case. Most people will pack their own stuff for baby and themselves. At least that's how it is in my area.

The difference between formula and the list of things you mentioned is that it can be brought from the shops and into the hospital by the mum, babies won't starve if the hospitals don't have it right there on hand because it is something that is accessible in the outside world. You can't just pop down to the shops and pick yourself up a pocket sized lactation consultant or epidural pack to stick in your hospital bag. Things like meals for mum are provided by hospitals for health and safety reasons, they don't like you bringing your own hot food into the premises. Things like breast pumps and LC's are, like MommyJogger said, reusable. Unlike formula it isn't gone once it's been used.

The NHS is funded by the tax payer through national insurance to pay for the necessities. Like I've said before Formula, isn't a necessity (unless bf doesn't work out, or baby gets admitted to NICU, or is born unexpectedly early etc). And should be brought in by mums who intend to FF, just like mum's are expected to bring clothes, blankets, nappies, hats etc.

 

[teal]

But if they didn't supply formula then they would have to change their policy and let people bring their own. I really don't see any reason why a hospital should supply formula (with the exception of emergencies of course), when it's easy enough for mums who decide to formula feed to go and buy a pack of ready made bottles The fact that so many hospitals (including my own) give it a way so freely seems like it's more of a goodwill gesture rather than a medical necessity. It's money that could be saved or spent elsewhere. You bring everything else you need for your stay in hospital (and possibly extra stuff which doesn't get used), why not formula as well?

Like Tasha said we are incredibly lucky to have the NHS, but it is in a bad way right now. Every little helps.

If it's just an argument about cost, then let's be consistent. If you're going to cut costs by cutting out baby food, you should also go ahead and cut out food for moms, disposable diapers, nose bulbs, humidifiers, disposable post-partum pads for mothers, hospital-grade breast pumps, breast pads, paid lactation consultants, gas&air, epidural w/o medical necessity, etc when every little bit helps. I mean, if the argument is that mothers can bring in their own formula, then they can also bring in their own food, maternity pads, supplies for their babies, and breast pumps, right? Plus, if they DECIDE to hire lactation consultants or an anesthesiologist for pain relief for the delivery, then why not go ahead and have them pay for those, too, since that was their CHOICE?

Most of the things you mentioned aren't readily supplied by the NHS. You are expected to bring your own nappies, maternity pads, breast pads etc. Although i'm sure most hospitals will have some on hand just in case. Most people will pack their own stuff for baby and themselves. At least that's how it is in my area.

The difference between formula and the list of things you mentioned is that it can be brought from the shops and into the hospital by the mum, babies won't starve if the hospitals don't have it right there on hand because it is something that is accessible in the outside world. You can't just pop down to the shops and pick yourself up a pocket sized lactation consultant or epidural pack to stick in your hospital bag. Things like meals for mum are provided by hospitals for health and safety reasons, they don't like you bringing your own hot food into the premises. Things like breast pumps and LC's are, like MommyJogger said, reusable. Unlike formula it isn't gone once it's been used.

The NHS is funded by the tax payer through national insurance to pay for the necessities. Like I've said before Formula, isn't a necessity (unless bf doesn't work out, or baby gets admitted to NICU, or is born unexpectedly early etc). And should be brought in by mums who intend to FF, just like mum's are expected to bring clothes, blankets, nappies, hats etc.

Agreed, I brought in everything I thought I needed - nappies, clothes, maternity pads, breast pads etc.

Also agree about breast pumps being reusable and lactation advisors can help more than one woman and baby.

I really don't think it's too much to ask that a mother who has decided ahead of time she is going to FF to pack some formula. Especially when it is so easily accessed (in my area anywhere - in the majority of super markets)

If the money is spent on breastfeeding support or general post natal support rather than formula then it could well save much more than the cost of the formula. For example, I was readmitted to hospital due to LO losing 12% of his birth weight. What triggered this was being discharged before breastfeeding was established. I would think the cost to make sure all was well is less than the cost of things not being well and then needing a longer hospital stay.

 

[Twister]

They could also spend the money saved on giving out better information/demonstrations on how to prepare bottles safely

 

[Pearls18]

The NHS should provide BF support because it is the method of feeding they predominantly endorse, breast milk is obviously healthiest for baby and they should support mums in doing this, to say they shouldn't supply lactation consultants is absurd, breastfeeding creates healthier children on the whole thus longer term savings on the NHS, so of course they should financially support this CHOICE as it benefits them also.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Hmm..

 

[Twister]

Also it may not be readily available in the sense that it wasn't right there in front of you to take whenever, but all you have to do is ask and they will give it to you, no questions asked. I personally don't agree with this, IMO them giving out formula should be a service provided when there is actually a need for it, not because people expect to be given it. Many people I know go into hospital expecting the nhs to feed their baby for the first few days of life, and when certain hospitals take that privelidge away they moan about it. I don't understand that mentality. It's your baby, you feed it You're going to be feeding it for the foreseeable future anyway, its going to have a lot less of an impact on the parent to buy a pack of ready made bottles, than it is for the nhs to fork out the thousands and thousands of pounds to feed the babies of parents who choose to ff for those first few days.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I just don't understand why it would bother someone so much. If the NHS gave out breastpads or pumps to bf mums it wouldnt really bother me so I cant understand why people are so fussed by procedures. I don't think its the cost that really bothers people.

 

[Pearls18]

I just don't understand why it would bother someone so much. If the NHS gave out breastpads or pumps to bf mums it wouldnt really bother me so I cant understand why people are so fussed by procedures. I don't think its the cost that really bothers people.

Because I don't think the NHS should be endorsing formula feeding.

 

[Foogirl]

It is the cost of it which bothers me. I couldn't care less how people choose to feed their babies. I don't understand why people are so insistent that the NHS should provide formula when there isn't the same moan about them not providing nappies or clothes or wipes or creams etc.

Your baby, you provide the food. The NHS isn't there to pay for food for non patients.

 

[Twister]

I just don't understand why it would bother someone so much. If the NHS gave out breastpads or pumps to bf mums it wouldnt really bother me so I cant understand why people are so fussed by procedures. I don't think its the cost that really bothers people.

Because its a waste of money, to be frank. It's not something that can't be provided by the parents.

I get really concerned hearing on the news and from friends who work within the nhs about how strapped for cash they are and it kind of annoys me that money is being wasted in areas that are seen as luxuries and not absolute musts. I love the nhs and to hear about what a mess it is in is worrying to me. It's a great service and we are incredibly lucky to have it.

ETA: what do you mean by your last comment? If its not the cost then what do you think bothers people about hospitals providing formula?

 

[teal]

Completely agree that the NHS shouldn't need to pay for formula.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I don't think that would be a cut that would save loads of money that's all. We paid £14 parking while I was in. That probably paid for my milk. My OH was also not a patient but he was allowed tea and coffee too or should we have paid? I honestly can't see the big deal. I do think it should be monitored so people can't take loads home but that's it.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I just don't understand why it would bother someone so much. If the NHS gave out breastpads or pumps to bf mums it wouldnt really bother me so I cant understand why people are so fussed by procedures. I don't think its the cost that really bothers people.

Because its a waste of money, to be frank. It's not something that can't be provided by the parents.

I get really concerned hearing on the news and from friends who work within the nhs about how strapped for cash they are and it kind of annoys me that money is being wasted in areas that are seen as luxuries and not absolute musts. I love the nhs and to hear about what a mess it is in is worrying to me. It's a great service and we are incredibly lucky to have it.

ETA: what do you mean by your last comment? If its not the cost then what do you think bothers people about hospitals providing formula?

I just mean that I think people have a problem with formula feeding in general.

 

[Twister]

Lol, I thought so. In rl I don't know anyone who takes issue with formula feeding. I think that's more of an Internet thing although it also depends on where you live I suppose. I don't see how hospitals not supplying formula to new mums reflects that in the slightest though.

Also I don't think it would save masses amount of money either (not in comparison to he actual deficit the nhs has anyway) but it would save some and the way the nhs is now, it all counts. The money needs to be prioritised. IMO formula something that can be stopped because people can bring it in themselves and so babies won't suffer or starve because of it (and of course there will always be some available for emergency cases). Not like how people suffer when other cuts get made to staffing etc.

 

[Eternal]

Well it bothers me and my three we mostly formula fed, it is a huge sum of money, you can argue all you want but it is! The fact is that money could be spend on other things, to make post op care safer and better. I wanted to breastfed,I struggled, got no support and my sons tongue tie was missed.

If staffing levels were better and the NHS was thriving then yes I would be lovely to think everything would be provided for you and baby, nappies, breast pads, formula etc, but while the NHS is collapsing around us I think they should prioritise the money. The reality is you have to pay for formula once you leave hospital so buying some before hand isn't a problem.

Also you are limited with the choice the hospital has, you can only have the milk they provide which I don't think is right when they won't allow you to bring your own.

I get people saying its like the NHS endorsing formula, which does seem wrong, but I think the NHS should be supportive of however we feed our babies.