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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

was shocked by the amount of bottle-feeders in hospital

737 replies

misdee · 27/02/2005 09:35

found it quite upsetting at times. my bed was by the empties 'bottle bank', so saw how many people on the ward were bottle feeding. in the 4 days i was there, there were 10 women on the ward in total, and only myself and another lady was breastfeeding. The midwives offered help to everyone, but most decided on bottles.

the reason i found it upsetting was because i didnt want dd3 to have formula but that choice was basically taken away from me whilst she was SCBU and was given formula by tube.

OP posts:
Poshpaws · 27/02/2005 12:15

Agree SW.

Also wanted to say that I did 'give it a go'. DS did get the nice colustrum bit. For whatever reason, my 'proper'milk production was very crap. Hoping for better this time round. Not because I feel any guilt but because and actually really enjoyed doing it for the first few days of Ds' life and also it is cheaper

Original poster
misdee · 27/02/2005 12:15

ok, maybe removing the formula isnt a good idea, was just thinking out loud

biglips, my dd2 was 9lb at birth and she was a very hungry baby, in fact she exhausted by 8weeks as was still feeding every couple of hours. she gained weight well, but i was shattered all the time.

OP posts:
blueteddy · 27/02/2005 12:18

Well said Gdg!
I chose not to breast feed my ds's because it wasn't for me, but do not feel I have been a terrible mother for making that choice.
My boys are both very loved & very healthy.
It would not have made any difference to my choice if I had to provide my own milk, as I had made my choice & do not think women should feel pushed into breast feeding if it is not for them.
I have a lot of friends who have breastfed their children & that is great, but do not feel mothers should feel in any way guilty, just because they choose to bottle feed their babies.

duster · 27/02/2005 12:19

It would be brilliant if hospitals could afford to send in bf councellors, teachers etc

Women who decide they definitely want to bottlefeed should also be supported, I think. I'm thinking of people to come in and advise on types of formula, bottle etc. When you have your first baby, how do you know which is best?
PS If anyone wants a fight over Pampers vs Huggies, I'm up for it

FairyMum · 27/02/2005 12:19

I find the lack of support for new mum to help them bf is shocking. I was determined to bf all 3 of mine. I spent about 6 weeks getting it established with cracked and bleeding nipples crying at every feed and I also recognise the feeling of being scared fo your own baby in case he wants a feed. So it didn't come easy to me and if I hadn't been so absolutely determined to do it and convinced about the huge benefits of bf, I would have given up. I think new mums need a lot more support than what we are given.

biglips · 27/02/2005 12:20

i was terrified of feeding baba as the midwife used to come over to me and said "Your baba is hungry" and i used to froze and i thought "hmm, ive gotta feed her but my good breast, the nipple was starting to get blistered from baba sucking and i cant used the other one as its already in blistered" ... i mean on my next baba (hopefully) i do it again - BF and see if i can handle BF. im so sensitive as cant bear DP touching them

Original poster
misdee · 27/02/2005 12:20

i'm not saying its bad to bottlefeed (did move onto formula with my other dd's, but want to avoid it this time as my other 2 have allergies, maybe breastfeeding longer would've prevented some of the allergies or made them less severe) , but was shocked by the amount of people choosing bottle over breast.

OP posts:
MummytoSteven · 27/02/2005 12:21

i don't agree with removing free formula from hospitals. and this would also cause practical problems - what would happen if babies needed topups and what would happen to people who started off bfing but then changed their mind, but hadn't got formula in their hospital bags. also the mw staff would have to check what formula people had brought in to make sure it was appropriate for newborns.

i just don't think that all women will necessarily be up to making up bottles with powder/cbw etc very shortly after birth. e.g for a couple of days after the birth I was dragging round a catheter bag on a stand and I think if I had had to make up bottles for top up feeds it would have finished me off!!!

Original poster
misdee · 27/02/2005 12:21

duster, i prefer tesco own brand nappies for newborns, heck of a lot cheaper!!

OP posts:
dizzymama · 27/02/2005 12:22

Am I the only new mother who finds this thread a little distressing. I tried bfing but turned to the bottle (!) after only 24 hours for various reasons. I feel guilty enough already.

biglips · 27/02/2005 12:23

Duster - thats true as im first time mum and i didnt know which formula to give to baba (SMA or Cow & gate) as i was all set to bf baba. i had to ask DP in the end which one is the best formula (he got a DD from prev relationship so he knows abit)

Poshpaws · 27/02/2005 12:23

But I suppose my 'argument' would be , was it a choice or necessity?

Although, like I said, even if it was a choice, at least their children are being fed.

Original poster
misdee · 27/02/2005 12:23

dizzymama, sorry its upsetting you. didnt mean for this to upset anyone.

OP posts:
biglips · 27/02/2005 12:24

MTS - i agree with you totally

dizzymama · 27/02/2005 12:25

Misdee, sorry, that came across rather blunt didn't it? I think I'm just feeling that I should have persevered and as if I'm not doing the right thing by dd, always wanted to bf.

Poshpaws · 27/02/2005 12:26

Dizzymama, can't stop you feeling guilty, but please remember (from a fellow bottle feeder/'failed' breast feeder, although Ds is now 3.5) that your baby is being fed...he/she is getting the very best alternative to breast milk. Please try not to stress .

suzywong · 27/02/2005 12:26

please don't let this thread turn in to a "versus" thread with people feeling they have to defend their decisions and mothering skills, it is genuinely interesting to hear about the kinds of support and pressure on maternity wards

collision · 27/02/2005 12:28

dizzymama.....dont feel distressed or guilty...it is just a discussion which is quite interesting to debate. No one is judging anyone. It is a 'wonderingment' of mine as to why someone wouldnt just try to BF. If they cant then they cant. I feel much better this time round BFing ds2. I felt embarrassed with ds1 and didnt do it for too long.

dizzymama · 27/02/2005 12:28

Thanks poshpaws I'm a born worrier! IMO people should do what they feel comfortable with - happy Mummy =happy baby!

hoxtonchick · 27/02/2005 12:29

fairymum i absolutely agree with you. i had a terrible time with thrush whilst establishing breast feeding with ds, but was bloody determined to do it. i was lucky in that he's my first so i could really concentrate on it, had great support from my mum, dp & a BFC but it was still agony. i was very proud of myself though.

dizzymama · 27/02/2005 12:29

Suzywong, sorry, didn't mean to do that, thread just caught me at a bay blues moment and I confess to not having read it all through! I'll get my coat!......

Poshpaws · 27/02/2005 12:29

I don't think it will turn into one of 'those' threads. Interesting to hear of people's experiences, though.

Am defo off to the BF clinic this time around...didn't even knew the existed last time, despite that fact that I had excellent support in and out of hospital. Like I said before, crap milk production halted my bf experiences! Hoping bf counsellors will have more ideas of how to improve that.

Original poster
misdee · 27/02/2005 12:31

i guess that thing that really bothers me, is with dd1 i was told i had to give her formula top ups at about 3 weeks old as she wasnt gaining weight, and her fontenelle (sp) was showing she was dehydrated. i wasnt discharged from midwife care for weeks. no-one ever mentioned that babies positioning may be wrong, or what i was meant to be doing, and by 6 weeks she was on formula all the time. the support wasnt there at the hospital, or afterwards. With dd2 i was given support at the hospital and afterwards with great midwives and health visitors, dd2 also gained weight in the 1st week going above her borth weight, as dd3 also has done today when she was weighed. so i know i can breastfeed and can do it well, but feelk really saddened by the lack of support i had with dd1. another reason i had for avoiding local hospital for giving birth in.

OP posts:
suzywong · 27/02/2005 12:32

no worries dizzymama, posts crossed anyway

how old is you baby?

suzywong · 27/02/2005 12:39

that's shocking misdee