Hospital should feed breastfeeding mums?

[NurseRosie]

AIBU to think that if your baby is in hospital and Mum is staying as fully breastfeeding, the ward should feed Mum? The NHS is not spending money feeding the baby as mummy us making the milk. Baby feeding sometimes 2 hourly and very clingy as unwell. Ward have only given tea and biscuits. Restaurant expensive and open funny times, for example baby upset over lunch yesterday so didn't get down until 2 and they'd stopped serving hopt food for the day. Do you think they should offer mum a meal?

My hospital did when I was in with a poorly ebf 3 week old, on the basis that I was her food source. And yes, I think they should.

I didn't know anywhere didn't. :/ When I had my son five months ago, the hospital offered three meals a day (you could choose from a few options off a menu, mains, sides, etc), plus there was a patient kitchen on the ward where you could get yourself tea, biscuits and cereal.

I'd prefer they spent the money on beds etc.

I had to stay in 3 days after an emergency c section and I was given 3 meals a day and dh and my Mum brought me a bag of snacks each day.

Are they not giving you any meals? I didn't realise anywhere sis this

Oh sorry I've misunderstood so sorry I will learn to read properly one day!

As your not the patient I wouldn't expect meals, I'd count your self lucky you got the biscuits tbh. Is there no dp/dh/grandparent that could bring you something in? No shop (Tesco express etc) near by?

Yes, and I was fed when staying in with Bf DS (7mo at the time).

I think the OP means the baby is ill and has been admitted to hospital so the parent is there with them.

I could see it would be nice for the mum to get fed but I suppose if they do it for one whether they are breastfeeding or not they would end up doing it for everyone. It would end up being too much hassle.

I wouldn't expect them to feed you tbh. I don't think they should really they have far too much to do without feeding visitors.

When my baby was in hospital with an infection, dp brought me in each day a flask of soup and a cous cous salad & snack flapjack bits of similar. I didn't get a meal and I wouldn't expect one

It didn't even occur to me. It would have been nice if they had told me there was a restaurant though. I found a crappy cafe that sold snacks and had no idea there was anything else. My baby was there for nearly three weeks and I found out by chance on the day of discharge.

Why two threads OP?

Trouble is that parents of young children aren't actually 'visitors' are they?

Can you imagine a ward coping if all mums and dads came in for a couple of hours then went home again?!

In the hospitals I've been in they have. Except one where they provided vouchers for the canteen.

Yes they should.

Whenever I was in with a sick bf can't, I was provided with meals. It's pretty normal practice - the hospital isn't paying for formula, and the mother being there to care for the baby saves a lot of work, never mind the breast milk being a huge benefit for a sick child

No, it's not a hotel.

Sick bf baby

Ah, misread it too, thought the OP meant she was on the post natal ward. I think for me, it'd depend on the setup - my son had to be readmitted the day after discharge because of jaundice. We were back on the postnatal ward in a separate room, and I got the same meals as I was supervising my lad and still recovering myself.

I'd he'd gone in now for whatever reason and was on a supervised ward, I'd be fine sorting myself out for food.

YABU. You would be feeding yourself at home and there is nothing wrong with you. Bring sandwiches or go to the cafe... You're breastfeeding, it's perfectly normal, get over yourself.

Sorry forgot to say, I wouldn't expect them to feed you, but I would expect facilities to enable you to feed yourself, without relying on a personal support network that may or may not be there.

So, cafes/restaurants/canteens etc that have decent food and hours. Cold food available all day, and toast / hot drinks available.

I don't think it should be a 'rule.' But if there are spare meals knocking about all well and good (when I was a student I worked on an maternity ward doing lunches and there were ALWAYS letftover meals which the staff then scoffed.) But agree it's not something the NHS should be spending money on when they can't get bloody ambulances to people at the moment.

I was offered food when I was in hospital with dd, I wasn't an admitted patient but I was essentially living there as I was bf and didn't want to leave her, I preferred to ask visitors to bring me a sandwich from the shop or from home, but it was offered.

I was unofficially fed once (DS2 too ill to eat but massively upped his bfing - partially weaned before getting ill).

Another time - nothing. DS2 only 6mo so didn't get meals. Exclusive BF. Very ill post op. Couldn't leave him. Far from home. Was awful. DH dropped me off and did a shop of a week of M&S meals which I microwaved. My sis visited once and brought more supplies. It was awful.

I might be wrong, but I think that food is contracted out to non NHS.

I agree that the parent of the child should be fed if they are staying overnight, particularly if they are breastfeeding, but the excuse that the canteen is too expensive is just rubbish. How much do you think the cost of the healthcare is? compared to that, the canteen is pennies.

I think it should be an option to order a meal but I think when you are not the patient you should pay.

My dad had his first hip replacement on the NHS but at a private hospital, we could order meals so that the family could eat together.

If you were not in hospital then you would still be feeding yourself.