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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Have decided not to breastfeed - what happens at the hospital <apart from hostility from disapproving midwives>

32 replies

catsypug · 07/05/2008 14:30

I've decided not to breastfeed DD2 when she's born in June for a variety of (well thought out) reasons.

I breastfed DD1 for 4 months, it seemed right at the time but I was exhausted, mastitis, pain......you all know! Anyway - I've had a terrible pregnancy this time, been very ill and am low energy, have no family support around us and I'm in sole charge of a 2.5 yr old - I need as much energy back as possible to cope with 2 of them alone...

Anyway....enough justification - Am I right in that they give you medication after birth to stop the milk flow? and would I need to take a tub of forumla into the hospital and bottles? - obviously I'll ask midwife next week too but just incase she thinks I'm Kerry Katona thought I'd get advice here first!

Thanks

OP posts:

WingsofanAngel · 07/05/2008 14:33

Yes they can give you an injection.
They usually use disposable teats and glass bottles (with formula in them) that the teat just screws onto.

izzybiz · 07/05/2008 14:34

In our local hospital, they provide milk for the babies.
I have had 2 children there and haven't breastfed either of them. Ive never had any hostility, its in my maternity notes that I wish to "artificially feed"!

Never had any medication to stop milk, you just have to wait for it to dry up on its own, doesn't take long, but NO squeezing!!

ceebee74 · 07/05/2008 14:35

Not sure about the injection but you don't need to take formula in as they provide it as the baby (and you) are patients.

saadia · 07/05/2008 14:36

yes at our hospital as well they provide bottles filled with milk and you can choose which brand to use.

BroccoliSpears · 07/05/2008 14:36

If you're giving birth in Leeds you'll not get hostility or disapproval. The midwives on the postnatal ward were completely uninterested in my shakey start to breastfeeding, but were falling over each other to help the ff mothers, explain how it works, help them out, feed the baby, chat to them about it and reassure them.

WingsofanAngel · 07/05/2008 14:38

I had ds1 at Leeds they weren't nice then either. (I was glad when I got back to our own hospital)

PerkinWarbeck · 07/05/2008 14:39

check with your hospital.

ours does not offer formula, as part of its pro-breastfeeding policy.

This hospital also advises that there are limited facilities for formula storage and preparation on the wards, so you should bring cartons of formula and disposable bottles.

TBH i think I would bring cartons anyway - more hygienic, and therefore recommended for the early weeks.

tiktok · 07/05/2008 14:40

Wings, you're wrong there, I think. I have not heard of anyone being given an injection in a UK hospital ever, though I am told this used to happen years ago. Occasionally, I have heard of women getting an injection if they were bf when their baby died unexpectedly, but I think this would be unusual, too.

The reason is the possibility of nasty (and I mean really horrible) side effects, which are rare but obviously you'd want to avoid them.

Nature does the job of 'drying you up' without the need for anything else.

Catsypug, prob a good idea to talk over your situation with the midwives antenatally, so you know what to expect, and they do, too.

2blue · 07/05/2008 14:42

I am a mw (not a disapproving or hostile one!) and have never in 10 years of practice given an injection to stop milk production. Just make sure you wear a really good supportive bra postnatally, and as Izzy said, no fiddling about with your boobs unnecesarily eg turn your back to the shower etc.
Formula is usually provided in hospitals, hopefully no need to bring that in.

All the best, I am sure it will all go well

WingsofanAngel · 07/05/2008 14:47

Sorry I thought I heard someone saying that you could.

2blue · 07/05/2008 14:53

Apologies if that sounded narky

Come back Wings...

sabire · 07/05/2008 14:57

Come to our local hospital and they'll be offering you bottles of ready made formula every five minutes - regardless of how you intend to feed your baby!

WingsofanAngel · 07/05/2008 14:58

Don't worry about it I never suffle far lol

2blue · 07/05/2008 14:59

WingsofanAngel · 07/05/2008 15:00

shuffle

SamJamsmum · 07/05/2008 15:19

Drink lots of sage tea. It helps you 'dry up' naturally once your milk has come in (which you can't prevent as it happens automatically). Also the old remedy of chilled cabbage leaves can be extra useful as if you keep the leaves on for a long time they can have a drying effect (not so good for those wanting to breastfeed.)

Kif · 07/05/2008 15:27

I thought the injection thing was for when you'd lost your baby - so you didn't have the upsetting thing of lots of milk and no baby? Not that I'd know anyway.

Poohbah · 07/05/2008 15:37

If you are giving birth at the Chelsea & Westminster they will not give you bottles of formula willingly even if your baby has been prescribed them by the paeds so I would have a chat about hospital policy with your midwife!

Sidge · 07/05/2008 15:40

Check with your hospital. Ours doesn't provide formula.

There are tablets you can take to dry up milk more quickly but they are rarely given as the side effects can be awful. They tend to give them to women who have had a stillbirth or neonatal loss. The best way to let your milk dry up is to have no stimulation of the breast.

Original poster

catsypug · 07/05/2008 16:08

it's Queen Charlotte's I'm going to so I will find out next week at 34 week MW appt.

Thanks 2blue - didn't mean to attack midwives by the way - they're great, I just know of some stories of mums being 'told off' and frowned upon for not BF.

Least I know not to ask for any milk killing drugs now!

OP posts:

sabire · 07/05/2008 16:18

"I just know of some stories of mums being 'told off' and frowned upon for not BF"

You'd hope that most midwives would have resigned themselves to the fact that a significant minority of women choose not to breastfeed, and dealt with their sadness about this before unleashing themselves on the postnatal ward.

misdee · 07/05/2008 16:25

our hospital dont provide formula except for those in scbu or in emergencies.

never heard of anyone getting an injection to stop milk flow in this day and age.

Original poster

catsypug · 07/05/2008 17:40

Sabire - my sister in law chose not to breastfeed and was told 'you white women - you only want your men to use your breasts' by a foreign import midwife! Think that was the last thing on her mind after her 3rd degree tear!!

Just been looking through Queen Charlottes welcome pack and there's lots mentioned about breastfeeding but NONE about formula feeding

OP posts:

threestars · 07/05/2008 22:43

About the drug - after I lost my 2nd baby, I asked my midwife about it. She said it simply delays the milk production until you stop taking the drug, and THEN the milk comes in. It used to be offered to women who'd lost their babies, but since it just postpones the inevitable, it's generally not discussed/offered.
Best to grin and bear it straightaway I think, without nasty chemicals...

lizzytee · 08/05/2008 13:50

Catsy, Queen Charlotte's has Unicef accreditation so imo it's unlikely that they will automatically provide formula and/or bottles

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