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?

There's no single NHS policy on this.

It really does depend on which hospital you are in.

And some definitely do still feed parents who are on the ward round-the-clock.

we always used to feed parents of children in hospital but unfortunately it's not financially possible anymore. But I totally get your point, a parent of a sick child can find it extremely difficult to get to the canteen, and our hospital does no hot food at all for visitors (or staff) on a weekend, Oh and no hot food after 3pm on a week day!
It's all a symptom of how desperate things are getting in our hospitals I'm afraid.

No, you are not the patient. And as a previous poster said, you can bring food with you. If you were at home, you would be buying food for yourself so what's the difference?

The NHS is struggling and the care provided for each individual costs hundreds, if not thousands, per day. Some people seem to treat it as a hotel.

Oh and 'the NHS is on its knees' is a stupid argument here. Meals for BF mums cost a couple of quid a day. And due to the abysmal BF rates in this country there really are very few of them. The OP has probably spent more in the hospital car park so far than the cost of her meals.

My baby was in hosp a few weeks ago and I was told because I'm bf I get fed too.

Cheby we only provide formula for babies who are inpatients when it's an emergency, for e ample an unexpected admission or the baby is being trialled on specific or prescription formula.

Blimey, some hospitals struggle to feed actual patients, so no I don't think they should be feeding breastfeeding mums.

If you can't get someone else to bring you in some food, pack some sandwiches.

Or use the canteen when they've stopped serving hot food. Food doesn't have to be hot to be filling and nutritious.

Why have you written your post like this?
It varies across hospitals - I was fed 3 times a day as a patient some years ago. Now it'd be something if I got a cup of tea and a biscuit.
Do you have anyone that could get you something from the supermarket?

No. and personally i find the use of phrases like "mummy is making the milk" very juvenile. You're not ill. Pay for your own food, the government and subsequently the tax payer does not need to feed you because you chose to breast feed. The money is better spent on other things, you know like cancer treatment.

I think it's demands and expectations like this that are adding to the financial mess the NHS is in.
You could argue that the NHS should pay for everything as it is all beneficial to a patient's wellbeing - electricity/gas bills at home, clothes etc etc.
The NHS is there to treat people who are ill, not feed their relatives.
In fact, I would go one further, and say that anyone in hospital, including patients, should pay for their own food. They would have to pay for it if they were at home.
I am not sure if nappies are free if your baby is in hospital, but if they are, they shouldn't be.

A little note regarding car parking that unfortunately they are often privately run and we don't see the money coming back to the hospital

When I've been in with EBF children over the last few years I've received three meals a day, I was very grateful and they couldn't have been nicer.

bluntness has said what I was going to

Adult women who refer to themselves as "mummy" when talking to other adults are weird and infantilising

My baby was in from birth as v poorly. At local hospital i was fed on maternity for my 3 day stay, Dad used to get breakfast as he stayed with me. Once we were in hospital flat we both got fed on gynae ward as we were living there and I was expressing.
Moved to Women's and we got a discount card (staff prices) and at Children's (expressed at both) we got a discount card for living in hospital accommodation. Used to live on ready meals. Back at local hospital on the children's ward I was fed again as I was expressing - three meals a day off the kids trolley.
Had an admission when he was about 5 months - still expressing so fed three meals and they provided top up.

Once DH was back at work I was in hospital alone. I wouldn't have had chance to eat meaning my milk would have gone quicker and they'd have had to feed him anyway.

I think you should feed yourself and be grateful for the healthcare you are receiving.

No, definitely not. The NHS can barely afford basic care of patients FFS!

Thank you hermione. I'm glad it's not just me who found it strange.

Only costs a couple of quid?
How many people do you think are in hospital at any one time?
Statements like this are a gross simplification of the problem and show a staggering lack of knowledge and common sense.

I sympathise but the NHS can't do everything for everyone, and I do think yabu as you're not the patient. Is there no one who can sit with dc while you go eat or who can bring food to you?

No money

If you give birth now and plan on formula feeding you have to bring own formula also now.

YANBU. If your baby is in hospital, it is not always possible for BF mums to leave them and not all hospitals have cheap canteens open 24 hours per day for when you can slip away briefly from the baby. Also you may not have money with you if you went to hospital in an emergency situation.

Here a bf mum would be provided with meals. Is the word mum' ok with everyone? ffs

Daisy, I'm sure you are fully aware saying breastfeeding mums is fine, referring to yourself as "mummy is making the milk" is something else entirely,

They need to plough valuable resources and money into needed medical care - get friends or family to drop in food and drinks, or buy st a local supermarket to help get some fresh air

My son has been in hospital for a total of nine months over his 18 month life. Other than when I made enough expressing, hospital has always provided formula (mixed feeds from about 4 months). I've never once been told to bring my own in although obv we do for day stays.

As for "you provide your own at home" - what is your daily budget at home? When DC is in hospital at you're living exclusively on ready meals, sandwiches, quick trips to the canteen its so expensive, especially for months on end. That's life, I have no choice so we suck it up but when I was expressing I was so grateful financially for the feed which is what he would have had as his portion if he was bigger.