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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why breatfeeding mother get free hospital food

289 replies

McHappyPants2012 · 26/06/2012 17:02

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

OP posts:
FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:33

Mrs DV you hate nurses, thats your problem. Its a shame you cant see how hard they work for such little thanks.

JugglingWithTangentialOranges · 27/06/2012 10:33

I worked in the NHS as a student nurse for 4 years - I was never treated badly by a relative visiting/ supporting their family. Perhaps I was lucky ? Hmm

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 27/06/2012 10:34

No You hate parents and that is everyone's problem

catinboots · 27/06/2012 10:35

Fut I have reported your post at 10.33.

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:35

Where have I said parents are shite?
I really feel for you Mrs DV. Please dont project your issues with some HCP onto all of us.
That is it, I cba to discuss this further. I will go back to doing my best for everyone and thank my lucky stars its only a very small minority who dont seem to have an understanding of what we do and gratitude for how hard we work for others.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 27/06/2012 10:35

What thanks do you want then?
I said thank you
I sent cards
I bough presents
I invited them to the funeral
You want a medal for doing you job?

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:36

Please post where I have said parents are shite Mrs DV?

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:38

I dont want a medal.
I dont want to be told im a martyr for telling people what its like there and trying to explain what we are up against.
Its not a ward full of nurse sat checking their facebook and drinking tea while the parents are left without basic needs met and refusing to give kids their meds on time.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 27/06/2012 10:39

Project my issues?
Where have I said I hate nurses?
You know what my four year old wants to be?
A paediatric oncologist.
That's what he would tell you.
That's how much we hat HcP in this house.
You are wrong, you have been rude and dismissive and now you Re resorting to 'you are obviously mad' to get out of it.
Don't attempt to analyse me. You are no more qualified to do that than yo are to comment on the experiences of long stay parents

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 27/06/2012 10:40

Please post wher ei have said nurses are shite or that I want to be pandered to or that I hate HCPs?

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:40

Mrs DV you said 'nurses like me' left you with PTSD
Now you know not a jot about me in a professional capacity yet are tarring my with such a brush.

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:40

me

JugglingWithTangentialOranges · 27/06/2012 10:41

But I don't think we were asking you to fix it all ShuckUp - We were just saying it's broken and something needs to be done about it.
Sad for you MrsDVere as you remember caring for your dd x

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 27/06/2012 10:41

You do know that this thread is not about YOU don't you.
Can you grasp that?
Who mentioned Facebook or tea?
The only one projecting is you

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:42

Serious question and non attacking here.
I actually care about patients AND there family. I try to take on board suggestions and ideas. What would help to make parents lives easier? What things do you think could be implemented to try to avoid adding stress to a families stay? Practically I mean.
These are the things I love to hear, rather than 'when I was in this happened and was crap etc etc'

Sheffbear · 27/06/2012 10:43

Must be a trust by trust thing, I was in hospital with my BF 3 month old and got nothing at all. Sent straight from A&E and didn't get to eat for over 24 hours when DH finally managed to get to me (I didn't want to leave him alone in a busy ward to go to canteen) :(

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 27/06/2012 10:43

HCPs who belittle, ignore and make parents feel unheard.
Look at your posts.
Yes nurses like you.
Like we say round here,
You need fe check yourself

ScroobiousPip · 27/06/2012 10:43

Just read thread. While the NHS is there to treat the patients, it is pretty widely accepted (I hope) that young children have better outcomes when their parents are with them. And parents who are tired, hungry or malnourished will not be up to the job. So, caring for parents (within reason) does make sense.

I wonder though whether hospital meals are the best solution, given that the food is rubbish. What about if the hospital allowed businesses in with sandwiches and hot meals for parents could buy, a bit like the sandwich men that come round in some workplaces? I guess they wouldn't be allowed actually on the ward itself, but if they were allowed to bring a trolley round outside the ward maybe?

Long term, it sounds as if more ronald McDonald type accommodation is needed for parents so that no one goes through the appalling situation that MrsDV had to deal with.

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:45

Another poster mentioned 'well the nurses were sat at the desk checking their facebook'
For one thing where I work facebook is banned from our computers. As are mobile phones on the ward. Does anyone with these minor gripes do anything with them? I.e report them to the ward manager or head of department?
If not issues will never get resolved, people will still moan and we will all be tarred with that same brush of not doing our job properly.

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:47

I never belittle ignore and make parents feel unheard.
Im just explaining how things are for us and being painted as a heartless shit nurse.

Sirzy · 27/06/2012 10:47

I can only go off what is done on the ward I have too much experience of with DS. I think one of the main things that makes it so great is somehow they have (or at least display outwardly) no obvious hierarchy of "I'm too good to do that" and all staff seem to put the basic needs of children and their families. If a bed needs changing, or a child needs a bottle of milk if only a matron is free they do it, no waiting to find a HCA to do it because it's their job (as I experienced on maternity in the same hopsital)

If a parent is upset or has a list of questions they take time to answer and make sure you understand.

I don't think it's anything massive though, to me they are just characteristics of caring proffessionals

JugglingWithTangentialOranges · 27/06/2012 10:49

I think the main thing that would help support parents of sick children in hospital, in answer to your question ShuckUp is a parents room with basic facilities including fridge, microwave, and kettle. Possibly a TV too. But meals and drinks have to be a priority, especially for those caring for children long term.
Thanks for asking. I'm sure you care, or you wouldn't a) do the job b) be on here
But you've been a bit overly defensive and unfair on those bringing up genuine concerns, and suggestions of how things could be improved.

FutTheShuckUp · 27/06/2012 10:49

Sirzy- all things I myself would do. Nothing is beneath me.I really do try so hard to meet everyones needs, but we just cannot do everything. And its always what we DONT or CANT do that seems to be scrutinised rather than all the good we do.
Its disheartening.

Sirzy · 27/06/2012 10:51

I can fully understand why it's gets so disheartening, I never fail to be amazed by the silly things some parents expect from the staff and I do genuinely think some forget that their child isn't the only patient on the ward.

CharltonHairstyle · 27/06/2012 10:55

You know what - in our trust in the North East we did get all of these things.

Free TV

food for bf mothers (or food for the baby/child) I think they would have fed the child's carer if they were struggling TBH

Bottles of formula if you were FF your child

Plenty of places to buy food within the
hospital at all times of day and night

The nurses and doctors were great - there was a newborn with nobody there to look after it (not sure if it was a girl or boy) and the nurses tried to comfort it when the could, they looked after it best they could / it was an awful thing to see - even 1 year on and I can remember it vividly.

We had a good experience (considering our baby was in hospital)
It's a shame all trusts aren't like ours.