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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Is it normal to take milk/bottles onto maternity ward in case you can't breastfeed?

43 replies

nymphadora · 28/07/2010 07:25

I have a big gap between dd2 and this one & friend who is ahead of me has just had her antenatal clasess.

She was told to take bottles & milk in case she can't breastfeed. I wasn't planning on buying them until I needed them as last time when there was problems (and dd2 not tsking to it) I still managed 2 days before circumstances made it impossible.

Dh will be with me & will be able to go to the v near 24 hour supermarkets if really needed. So I really don't see the point.

OP posts:

mamasunshine · 29/07/2010 09:55

No it's not. I also refused to but anything 'just in case'. I didn't want to be at my weakest point in the early hours and use a bottle. And luckily never needed one (although people kept telling me I should have smoe in just in case?)

BaggedandTagged · 29/07/2010 10:06

It's interesting how people differ psychologically.

Some find that the availability of formula takes the pressure off and makes them more likely to succeed, whilst others think they are more likely to crack if it's there.

I guess it's up to the woman to decide, based on her previous experience in life, which camp she falls into and plan accordingly.

I'm definitely the former- knowing I can stop something anytime makes me more likely to make that "any time", "next time."

Emster30 · 29/07/2010 12:03

i didn't buy any ff equipment as was determined to bf. things went ok in hospital but on day 3 we had to take him to a&e as he wasn't waking to feed and hadn't hd a wet nappy for hours. he was also jaundiced. his blood sugar levels were dangerously low. he was given formula in hospital and wolfed down 60ml straight away and perked up. so some babies do seem to need more than just colostrum at first. we carried on giving formula top ups till my milk came in on day 5 (last friday) and got tons of help with bfing. now we have been exclusively bfing for 6 days and he is thriving. we just had to buy bottles, milton, formula etc on way home from hospital which was fine. now we have one more emergency thing of formula left which is actually quite reassuring, plus some ebm in the fridge.

japhrimel · 29/07/2010 12:06

Jaundice and milk not having come in would be considered "medical need" anyway in hospital.

Squitten · 29/07/2010 12:58

When I was in hospital with my son, they had FF stuff for people who were trying to BF but if you decided to fully FF, you had to buy your own. Turns out that the SMA they were giving my son made him constipated to high heaven and they insisted on cup feeding him, which made him projectile vomit really badly!

I am determined to BF this time so I won't be bringing bottles to the hospital because I know that at 3am I'll be too tempted to use them. We will, however, have them on standby at home so that, should it be felt that BF is not working again, we can do what WE want to do rather than allowing the midwives to attempt the horrors that they did last time!

Emster30 · 29/07/2010 13:12

Yes, and this was on a children's ward rather than the maternity unit anyway. what was interesting is that the nurse hesitated for a while until I actually said "Please bring some formula for my baby" - it's obviously hospital policy that they can't offer it outright, or something like that. Again later in the night when she came in when he was due a feed and I was already BFing him, I had to ask her directly to bring formula rather than her offering it. weird.

DDDixon · 29/07/2010 16:57

My friend had her baby at a different hospital to me, she was told that they were "so pro-breastfeeding" that under no circumstances would they supply formula (they told her they didn't keep any on the unit - as if!) so she'd need to bring her own - whether she interpreted it a bit literally or what I don't know, but she forked out on all the kit beforehand despite being adamant she wanted to breastfeed...guess what, she came out of hospital after three days formula feeding, completely given up on bf. Well done that unit! Very pro-breastfeeding .

QueenofDreams · 29/07/2010 17:07

When I had DS they had formula and little bottles on the ward, and brought it round when any of the mums asked. I was the only mum on my bay breastfeeding - all the others were FF by choice and the hospital supplied the formula.

I wouldn't buy formula tbh. If you need it the hospital will be able to supply. If BF gets off fine you've wasted money. Due DC2 in December, planning a homebirth and hadn't even considered buying formula tbh.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 29/07/2010 17:27

DS was born at home but on day 5 the MW visited and was concerned about his weight-loss and jaundice. She sent DH out to buy formula and a breast pump, but by the time he'd got back she had decided to admit us to hospital.

Once in hospital no-one mentioned formula, they showed me how to use the hospital pump and the milk was used to cup feed DS. He spent about 24 hrs under lights to help with the jaundice. Couldn't fault the staff, they were busy but were v supportive of bf (couldn't wait to go home after 3 days there mind you!)

jemjabella · 29/07/2010 17:51

"I gnored it them as forcing her to take more seemed like some sort of baby foie gras."

I'm glad you've mentioned this... when I gave birth the lady opposite me (FF by choice) was trying to get her newborn to take 4oz a go, and then wondered why baby spewed it up everywhere. I thought it was wrong but as a breastfeeder didn't want to question her (she already had formula fed her DS)...

CrosswordGeekWantsChange · 29/07/2010 20:53

I really don't understand why people think that the NHS should fork out for those who choose to FF. Of course it should be there when it is needed for Mothers who cannot breastfeed. But if you go into the hospital knowing you want to formula feed, buy and take your own.

Vistana · 29/07/2010 21:53

At my local hospital they only have a midwife led unit and in their information they say you need to take in bottles and formula if you plan to use it as they don't supply it. Wonder if this might be true as you have to transfer to a hospital 25miles away for any problems including the special care baby units.

reallytired · 29/07/2010 22:24

I was instructed by a paediatrian to give my son formula because he had moderate jaundice and and was very jittery. It would have been a kick in the teeth if I had then been asked to go out and buy the formula on a bank holiday. (My son was born on new years eve. eight years ago)

I was completely useless at pumping and ended up expressing blood. Amazingly I did manage to master breastfeeding. I managed to ditch the bottles by two weeks and breastfed my son until 2 years.

There are circumstances that do merit formula and I am sure there is no unit in the country that would not give formula to a sick baby where the mother is doing her dammest to express.

Fibilou · 29/07/2010 23:09

"I'm glad you've mentioned this... when I gave birth the lady opposite me (FF by choice) was trying to get her newborn to take 4oz a go, and then wondered why baby spewed it up everywhere."

My Mum gaily recounts a story of while she was still in the maternity home with me. The bossy Matron type woman came in and tried to make me take some formula. Mum said "she's not hungry, she doesn't want it". Mad Matron forced it on me, apparently I was sick all over her.
From that moment on Mum and I have always been a tag team

lovely74 · 29/07/2010 23:26

At my hospital we were told that if you intended to FF you had to supply your own.

My DS had jaundice and struggled to latch (tongue tie too as we later found out) so I pumped and also agreed to formula top-ups from a cup. They provided the feeds but we were told we'd then have to provide it ourselves.

At 1am DS needed feeding so I gave him the expressed milk and then went and asked the MW for some formula. I was told very sternly they didn't provide it and why had I not got any? I explained in my sleep deprived state that the top ups were only deemed necessary from about 9pm that night so it hadn't really been practical for us to get to Tescos...! She then really begrudgingly went and got me some...

So no if it's medically necessary ie you cannot provide your child with nutrition any other way, the ward shoudl provide you with what you need. But you might have to fight for it!

laylise · 30/07/2010 00:03

Nymphadora, if you are wanting to breastfeed then that is 99% of the battle. Unless you have a breast condition such as Tubular Breasts where the glandular tissue does not form properly or sufficiently (you would know if you had this), then there should be no reason why you would not be able to naturally feed your baby.

Some hospitals are and have stopped supplying formula on postnatal wards (Macclesfield General is one example). The aim is to encourage more women to choose natural feeding over artificial feeding.

Your baby will only need your colostrum in the first few days which is small in quantity, but concentrated in terms of nutritian and antibodies. Your newborn's stomach is the size of a small marble so there is no need for it to start guzzling 3oz down at this stage. Your baby will want to feed little and often (demand feeding), but this is normal and necessary and NOT a sign that you have no milk/colostrum.

With the right support from family, friends and professionals, you will do great, I am sure xx

hillee · 30/07/2010 04:11

I had every intention of bfing, and was doing quite well until day six (still at the hospital, DD1 had operation, another story entirely), when both my nipples were completely shredded by a very chompy baby, and (as I later discovered) a shocking latch.

So there I was, weeping while feeding and hating every painful minute, and thank god the lovely fijian mw walked in, took one look at me and said 'why don't we give you a rest' - and went and fetched a bottle. Both my DH and I stood there wavering, not knowing what to do... and as if by magic our paediatrician walked in, and told me not to be so silly and give the baby a bottle, even if it's just for this feed only. Christ it was a relief.

We went on to bf quite successfully, and mix fed in the end as I didn't have much milk (no weight gain for five weeks). But I do think that sometimes formula does give people who might give up bf entirely, the strength to carry on.

So in my experience, yes, the ward will provide it for you. And really, they should do so if you need it.

duchesse · 30/07/2010 04:32

Even at 6 days my daughter in the NNU was only being fed 40ml (1 fluid ounce) per feed through her tube. She was 7 lb 6 oz at birth and the nurses had worked out exactly how much she should be having, so you can see that they need not much in the early days.

In my trust, they seemed to have bottles of formula (little prepared ones) avaiable for mums who couldn't or really didn't want to breast feed, but the atmosphere for breast feeding was so impressively supportive, without being unsympathetic towards FFing mothers. The hospital is aiming for baby friendly status. I was really impressed at how much effort and time was invested in enabling women to breastfeed if they wanted to.

I was sent a lovely assistant to collect colostrum by syringe from me while still in recovery from GA because I'd requested that my daughter be given no formula. The assistant stayed with me for nearly an hour painstakingly collecting the stuff- it still brings tears to my eyes remembering how devoted to her job she is.

Is your hospital aiming for baby friendly status?

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