To ask why breatfeeding mother get free hospital food

[McHappyPants2012]

In work last week and was working on the children ward. Formula feed babies the mothers had to pay £1.50 for a meal yet breastfeeding mother was told ther is no charge.

Formula on children ward are only provided in an emergency so I don't think it's down to cost

So not a maternity ward but an actual childrens ward?

Seems odd.

Didn't you ask at work?

I'd be interested to know the answer.

To encourage breast feeding maybe?

Not a maternity ward, but a children's ward.

Didn't you ask? I can't see this being the case surely?

Presumably because the mother needs to be nourished in order for the child to be nourished? And maybe because a bf mother has no choice but to be on the ward with the child whereas a ff mother can leave someone else to mind the baby for a while or overnight?

I used to deny that I was bf ds when he was in hospital as a 1 yo because of the enthusiasm with which they tried to offer me horrible hospital food - massive turnip like hunks of carrot and cold soggy chips......don't be jealous of any mother reciving hospital food!

As far as I know parents are not fed unless they are patients. Which hospital is this?

Sorry, trying to understand, this is a children's hospital ward and mothers who are visiting their sick child get a free meal if they are breastfeeding that child and the mothers of a formula fed child do get a meal, but for £1.50?

Because breast milk doesn't cost the hospital money and formula does?

(And I would have thought what Blu said.)

Presumably to try and recoup the cost of formula? But am am very about this.

Happened in children's ward when I had to stay in. I assumed it was because it meant the breastfeeding mothers then got an OK, nutritionally balanced meal instead of fast food / canteen crap, and also had it delivered to the bedside if they were unable to leave. I wasn't even offered the trolley food at a charge, I had to use the (enormously expensive) concessions / hospital canteen or as I learned to do, buy pots of soup and use the microwave. In an ideal world, I guess attending family would get fed too, but I'd rather the NHS spent the money on direct healthcare. Did get option to make own tea and coffee from ward supplied cupboard though, which was much appreciated.

Thymelord - in 'our' hospital bf mothers on the children's ward get free hospital food, mothers ff-ing or of weaned children, all parents, in fact, get access to the kitchen where there are free supplies of tea, coffee and squash, sliced bread and a toaster, and tubs of butter-type stuff.

Because the mother of an exclusively breastfed baby needs to be physically there to feed her baby herself round the clock, and so the hospital is making an effort to care for her in order that her body can nourish her baby's? Someone else could feed the formula fed baby, so it might be easier for the formula feeding mother to go and get herself food etc?

Were the formula fed babies being charged for formula?

I thought the way it works was formula fed babies are fed formula paid for by the hospital, breastfead babies get their meals from mum who is fed lunch paid for by the hospital. Both cases the hospital is paying for the meal of the patient.

Makes sense really, not to encourage breastfeeding because as it's a children's ward I'm assuming u'd decisions already been made. A breastfeeding mum won't be able to leave for any length of time and needs to be well to nourish the poorly child.

I was given a meals when ds 1 was 10 days old and readmitted. The hospital do this as they are not paying for formula

When dd was in hospital for several days, I was given free food. I think it was because I had to be with her almost constantly and wasn't able to go out and buy my own food from the cafeteria. I suppose they might also be worried about lack of food and the effect on milk supply.

I must admit that it surprised me too.

Yes I got meals provided when I stayed on the paed ward with DD. I presumed it was to make sure I was sustained enough to feed dd...

Also, the breastmilk is likely to helpo the baby to recover faster, as contains antibodies and other immune properties, so it's about supporting the breastfeeding mother to keep going at a difficult and stressful time when it's particularly important for the child.

Possibly because if it's an EBF baby then you can't really take shifts at staying with them, but a FF baby could be accompanied by different people in turns? That and the fact that BFing literally takes a lot out of you (possibly more than usual if it's an unwell baby)?

I don't know of any concrete rules but I remember getting a free lunch when my DS was nearly one and on a nebuliser, he was BFing a lot then as he couldn't eat.

I got a free meal on the children's ward when breastfeeding, I was quite surprised (although very grateful). They said it was because b/f mothers need the calories to produce the milk.

Not going to say which hospital, but I suppose the mother must have good quality milk in order for the baby to get well again it makes perfect sense now

Hospitals feed their patients. Parents are not patients, but as a bf mother is a direct part of the child's food chain, the hospitals presumably take extended responsibility and make a concession towards them and offer free meals.

I used to get free meals. It's not that exciting a perk! It's a way of feeding the child (bm) and also, I think anyway, showing they value bf. We all had access to the kitchen but supplies were not provided, altho I would always stock it with tea and coffee for everyone - makes a difference to be able to make a cuppa