To take bottles and formula into hospital even though I want to breastfeed?

[Giltedged]

Last time I ended up taking bottles and some formula as everyone said I should. Had a horrible birth and fainted so didn’t get skin to skin and DH gave our newborn baby some formula. I’ve no idea if that contributed in some way but failed miserably to breastfeed.

I don’t really want to buy newborn feeding bottles and formula - feels a bit like failure before I’ve begun. Equally I don’t have much confidence in my ability to breastfeed and don’t want to starve my baby! What should I do?

Don’t regard it as a failure - you’re adding too much pressure on yourself. I never wanted to breast feed - never tried but I don’t consider using formula a failure - it gave DC’s an excellent start in life. Healthy baby = happy parents!

They had formula and bottles in the hospital where I just had my baby - I was very glad of that, and ended up using it. Breastfeeding has got going a bit now we're home and more comfortable, so in my experience it is NOT the end of the world if your baby has formula; you can still breastfeed if you want to. I actively want to mixed feed now, it's going well...

I was also wondering where and when this was 😅

Check if the hospital you’re delivering in has bottles and formula. Mine didn’t, although they’ve changed that now after complaints.

I had a big haemorrhage and infection and couldn’t BF immediately, and DS came out STARVING after a 36 hour labour and traumatic birth. He was screaming his head off and DP had to run to the nearest supermarket for formula. It was the last thing we all needed after what we had been through. I did manage to combi feed him (mostly BF with top ups) with a fair amount of effort afterwards.

So my advice would be to take it tbh, or be very sure the hospital has it and to be prepared for them to make it difficult to get (although I’m pretty scarred and still angry about my experience, so it’s colouring my advice to you and your hospital/midwife may be much better).

Good luck, all the best with your little one xx

I took the formula starter kits into hospital with both my babies, never used them either time but felt reassured to have them with me.

I didn't take it - wish I had.
Was told to persevere by midwives until my baby went down to 5 lbs something. Never again!
And I had to really battle to get formula from hospital!
There is nothing wrong w FF. Combi fed with my second child.

@Giltedged https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Pregnancyandbirth/Collecting-your-colostrum-while-you-are-pregnant.pdf

Our son latched straight away but for some reason after that we had some issues he would only feed for a couple of mins then pull off and by the next day he had low blood sugar levels and was in the neonatal ward on a feeding tube for a week due to his feeding issues. The hospital I gave birth in have ready made formula on hand if babies have struggles feeding (really not sure if this is for every hospital)

Baby was then on breast, expressed and formula for 2 months before I was exhausted doing all 3 and now on formula exclusively.

So I would say hospital should have some on hand but formula basically saved my sons life, so next time I will 100% have some with me in case. Another thing you can do is take expressed colostrum. My friend passed out after her birth and they fed baby her colostrum that she had syringed beforehand until she was up to breastfeeding

The hospital will provide formula and bottles should you need it so don't worry about that. You could put a few cartons of instant formula in your cupboard at home for backup.

Breastfeeding might go wonderfully for you this time around. Lean on all the support you can get. Have you thought about expressing some colustrum before you give birth? It can be stored in the freezer until it's needed.

Thanks @PurBal . I’m not sure I’ve got any yet … hope this isn’t a sign of bad things to come.

I can’t remember if they had any last time. I have a midwife appointment next week, might ask then.

I wouldn't take it in but I'd make sure I'd identified an easy supermarket where it could all be bought if necessary.

It’s not that simple @Terryer , we have a toddler at home who can’t be left or whisked out at 10 at night if needed 😅

No, don't do it.

The hospital will provide formula if you intend to breastfeed and it's medically necessary for baby to have formula for some reason...

But it's a really bad idea to use formula if you want to breastfeed, it's really rarely necessary, and midwives typically aren't breastfeeding specialists and if you've got formula might encourage you to use it prematurely. Baby won't need much in the early days. If you can express colostrum ahead of time, that's brilliant; if you can't, that doesn't matter either - honestly, baby needs a tiny, tiny amount in the first few days; they'll feed often and have a tiny tummy, they'll be feeding to start and establish your supply.

If you buy formula stuff, you're so much more likely to use it during the tough bits - and there will be tough bits - and once you've done that, you make it so much harder to get back to breastfeeding.

Sorry I should add despite baby shaking the midwives we’re hesitant with giving me any ready to feed formula (I understand as it costs them money) so kept trying to latch him for longer but in the end he was so unwell. I wish I brought my own in with me and used it sooner as he may of not been in the neonatal ward if I had. Awful guilt

I found the opposite- taking it meant I knew I had it immediately to hand if needed so it made me more relaxed. I didn’t want a scenario where I needed it and had to wait

Ah OK then take a few cartons of ready made and a bottle etc all hidden in a bag at the bottom of your bag!

Most hospitals do have formula. So if you are unconscious/serious unwell your child will be cared for.

If you seriously want to breastfeed you need to prepare for it. Stsrt harvestint colostrum (your midwife can give you a kit or you can get on the internet). Freeze it and take it in. If you're unable to feed your baby then instead of formula they can use that.

Instead of going in with formula go in with phone numbers and contacts for breastfeeding support. Nhs support is quite frankly laughable in most places. Do not be under the illusion midwives (even their so called specialists) know anything about breastfeeding when it gets a bit more complicated. If you can afford it have a laction consultant lined up to check the latch if needed and support (ibclc website has a search for those in your area). Look up local support groups La leche leauge have groups worldwide and their leeders are amazing and will ususally support outside meetings too. You can go to meetings when pregnant to get to know them and get tips.

I see breastfeeding as a bit like marathon running. Its a tough gig and many find it hard, so give it up. If you go into it with the mentality of "if its hard i can always get the bus to the end" you're going to be very tempted to give up when it gets tough. If you prepare for it, have your support crew lined up and go in with the mentality of I can do this, i will do this' its a hell of lot more likely to be successful.

Also if you struggle at first don't be scared ofnusing formula as top ups it has a place but use it carefully to protect supply. Dont replace feeds with it if you can help it. Use as a top up. I had to combi feed initally as did a friend. Hasnt stopped either of us breastfeeding to beyond 2 years.

This. We tried feeding 2 hour old DS and he didn’t latch. Immediately the feeding support nurse insisted I must use formula or else he will get more and more hungry.

I refused and wanted to give it a go. For a few days I expressed colostrum into a syringe and fed him like that until my milk came in and hired a lactation consultant when we were discharged.

He’s now over 2 and I’m struggling to wean him off!

Breastfeeding support in hospitals is atrocious. That said, there needs to be a balance for women who want to but can’t for whatever reason and feel pressured into it.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!! Maternity Nanny here.......you are not a failure if you cannot breast feed!!! I say this over and over to my clients! Or, shock horror, you don't want to!!!!! It makes absolutely zero difference to your bond, and to the child! Do not pressurise yourself. Go with what makes you mentally well amd happy.

My hospital only provided certain brands if I remember rightly. I used kendamil which they didn’t have - typical haha!

Take them if hospital doesn't provide.
With baby 2, the only thing on my birth plan was that I was going to bottle feed after the first 2 weeks of baby 1s life being told I was a failure and her starving.
They still discharged me with "breast feeding going well" on my notes!

The problem is it wasn’t so much I gave up as couldn’t do it in the first place. It’s like people saying that driving lessons are hard until … but I never even got into the car. Probably bad analogy! But it wasn’t me going oh this really hurts or oh I’m so tired, but doing it and then deciding to stop, I just honestly couldn’t get him latched onto me.

It was all so shit last time I just want it to be different and in some ways it’s tempting just to go down the formula route so as not to have horrible failure feelings. It isn’t really what I want though.

I’d take the formula to take the pressure off yourself in case you have a tricky birth again. From what I’ve been told your milk won’t come in for a few days anyway so a small bottle of formula in case the baby’s really hungry won’t do any harm.

The hospital will have some for you to use if need be. I breast fed both my babies until 16 months but they still both had formula on day 1 and 2, as I was so dehydrated the first time, and had a large blood loss and csection, the 2nd time so took a day or 2 for my milk to come in. But I was determined to feed, so the midwives fed baby with a little cup of formula as needed but I still breast fed first.

Surely your DH can go? You don't have to both go to?