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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Should maternity units provide formula?

240 replies

hunkermunker · 31/12/2008 23:37

Or should you have to take it in with you if you're planning to ff?

I can see both sides of this - but what's your experience and how did you feel about it?

OP posts:
CharCharGaboriaInExcelsisDeo · 01/01/2009 00:07

Happy new year

elkiedee · 01/01/2009 00:12

The hospital where I had ds1 and expect to have dc2 soon is pro-breastfeeding and says they don't have formula in the maternity ward. But while I think they need to have formula available for certain contingency situations somewhere in the hospital, I think there's a lot of room for improvement in the breastfeeding support in maternity and also in paediatrics. I always assumed I'd breastfeed and don't feel I was warned, really, that it's not always so easy.

ds was taken back in at a week old and while breastfeeding support could have been improved considerably on postnatal - staff with time to do it who didn't disappear after 2 minutes never to return wouold have helped - it didn't really exist in the paediatric ward.

Katiestar · 01/01/2009 00:13

hospitals will never have parents bringing in /making up formula.The health and safety risks (and potential for being sued) are too great.Scalding,gastroenteritus through poor hygiene,incorrectly mixed formula. etc etc

sasamax · 01/01/2009 00:19

I think they have to have it just in case but I really think they should 'assume' everyone will bf to normalise it as much as possible. If they didn't actively offer it (and only provided on demand) maybe more mothers would try bf.

SittingBull · 01/01/2009 00:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

BexieID · 01/01/2009 00:28

If I was using formula I probably would have taken my own. I was glad they did have it as Tom was refusing the boobies at first.

My mum got some of those ready to use cartons just in case, and she got me a sterliser and bottles as I was planning to express.

MKG · 01/01/2009 00:37

Yes, but then they should also have a lactation consultant on the floor as well. My hospital has one. I pick up the phone in my room, call her office, and she is down within 5 minutes (unless she's with someone else). She was there with me to help me feed ds1 when he wouldn't latch and wouldn't take a bottle, and was there for simple things like "Is my latch OK?" with ds2. She also continues her service by taking calls and meetings after we leave the hospital.

kickassangel · 01/01/2009 00:37

YES. i was so convinced that i would bf that i had NO provisions. if they hadn't had anything available, my dd would have died of starvation. of course bf is better, but just like getting pregnant, having perfect health or your hair colour, your body does not always do what you want it to. it is good to have a back up.

they did everything they could to help with bf, even keeping us in for longer to try & help, but it was ff or death for my baby.

Blu · 01/01/2009 02:04

When I was an inpatient, I was provided with food by the hospital.
I think babies should also be provided with food by the hospital if they need it.
I fully support any measures which help women feel relaxed, confident andable to bf succesfully, but don't think the provision or withholding of a facility offered to everyone else in hospital (food) should be used as asocial enginering device to co-erce people into bf. However desirable bf, and good suppot for bf is, that just wouldn't be right. imho.

LadyOfWaffle · 01/01/2009 02:51

Yes they should, but they shouldn't be so 'pushed' on people. We had a women wheeling a trolley round saying 'top up? top up?'. Imagine you did 'need' formula, it would be awful if it wasn't ready there for you. I just think there needs to be 24/7 specialist BF support, like a pediatrician (sp) is always there, I am shocked how low priority it is really. But yet how important it is. Consistent high quality help, not someone 'thinking' they know how. In any other area of health it would be a scandel with clash of 'facts' being bandied about.

chloemegjess · 01/01/2009 04:13

I think that it should be there if needed, but people who plan to FF from the start should bring it in themselves. Otherwise, surly tax money is going to FF babies of people who don't WANT to BF?

Obviously some people can't/change their minds etc but that is different to not trying at all. IF you WANT to FF then the cost should be of the parents, not NHS and should possibly even pay for it somehow?

The hospital could still provide sterilized bottles though.

kayzr · 01/01/2009 06:33

When I had DS1 I planned to FF and had everything. We were told to take everything in with except a sterliser as they had those. We didn't actually take anything with us as a few weeks before he was born I decided I did want to try and BF him.

Hunker, I was really interested by your comment about having bottles and formula in the house. I am quite sure that having them and the lack of support were why I failed with BF DS1. I knew if I couldn't get him to latch on I could send DH for a bottle while I tried to feed him myself.

StealthPoHoHoHo · 01/01/2009 10:26

How about they keep it in a locked cupboard and only a fully trained bfc (or 6) hold the key?
(I appreciate that might not be very popular for people who have chosen to ff - but then presumably they would have an opinion on the formula they want to use, as opposed to the only one going, so would have taken it in)

Lulumama · 01/01/2009 10:30

i don;t think the question should be should the y provide formula, but why aren;t there more breast feeding counsellors/ experienced mws who can help? for instance, a BFC who is available on the weekends and after 5pm, rather than the 9 - 5 weekdays only that is at the local unit. coz women only have problems in office hours

Sycamoretree · 01/01/2009 10:34

I agree wholeheartedly with Lulumama - I hadn't chosen to BF, but after a week of inductions, drip then emergency section and a total lack of BF support and ignorance on my part, I don't know what I'd have done if I'd had to negotiate the key for a cupboard of Formula to feed DD in the middle of the night.

With DS it was a different story - I'd discovered MN for a start! We should start with proper education and support before thinking about how avail or not formula is in hospitals.

lisad123 · 01/01/2009 10:35

when I had DD1 they had loads of those little jars with teats on which parents took as needed, alhtough a saw a few packing loads extra in their going home bags must have cost £££

With DD2 5 years later it was the rules that if you planned to FF, you brought your own. They had a stock for emerency situations, but that was all. Think its a good idea tbh, save's nhs some much needed pennies and hopefully will encourage BF.
Then again the hospital didnt have any prem nappis on the ward, with one lady who had a small baby didnt have any, so gave her a few of mine as I always have small babies so had packed some

littleboyblue · 01/01/2009 10:38

I think they should have it there. I planned to bf ds but had an awful lot of trouble and didn't get any support from hospital staff, so good job it was there really.
Also, what about if you go into labour early when away from home etc, I think they need to have formula and nappies etc there for when you have to get there so quick there's no time to collect anything iyswim

hercules1 · 01/01/2009 10:39

I think better support for breastfeeding. Each time I was in hospital they were short staffed, gave virtually no help to me or others in breastfeeding and formula was given rather than time and advice.

TotalChaos · 01/01/2009 10:39

agree with blu and lulu. Also - after a difficult birth some women would not be in a fit state to make up bottles for some days. As a practicality, given the fondness for mw enforced topping up, I can't many units NOT having formula in.

lulu - I found it impossible to get any mw help with bfing during handover - i.e. for over an hour in early evening.

whomovedmychocolate · 01/01/2009 10:43

I think it should be provided but parents should have to sign a form to receive it which states they have been offered breastfeeding help first and that they know the risks of ff.

lisad123 · 01/01/2009 10:45

i was lucky ish, although didnt agree with pressure with dd1 i did have support to BF. However, for first few days was expressing off and syrine feeding as she was only 5lb, and refused to feed. One night I couldnt get her to feed (was told she HAD to have milk every 3 hours) I called a MW about 4 times and it took an hour for someone to come and help. I was crying dd1 was crying, felt so alone MW came along, did as I had done, she wouldnt feed, replied "well she's not hungry then" and walked off I wanted out asap but Csection meant i couldnt.

Did alot better with dd2, did as I wanted and only stayed overnight to check she was feeding ok (another little one with low birth weight) Im still going now 16 months on

kslatts · 01/01/2009 10:45

I think they should provide formula.

lisad123 · 01/01/2009 10:49

But KATIE they do, see my post, they have a special bottle room in my hospital. Im pretty sure parents cant sue for something they are in charge of

eidsvold · 01/01/2009 11:05

hunker when I had dd1 - almost 6 1/2 years ago they did have a 'milk kitchen' in ICU/scbu for babes. I stored the ebm there and know there was definitely little jars of ready made formula that could have the disposable teats screwed on. Same thing in the hospital where dd1 had her cardiac surgery - all sorts of things in the fridge and cupboards - formula, ebm, pedisure etc.

I was planning to bf BUT I do know there was a mum in SCBU who was going to ff and they just asked her if she had a preference for brand - they had a few different types in the cupboard.

when I had dd2 here in Aus - I wanted to try again at breastfeeding - never did get to do it with dd1 - BUT she was a very hungry baby - there was little or no support for bf - I was on a very busy ward with two very demanding private patients at the end of the corridor. I was also left alone a lot as this was no 2 - until one of the midwives saw dd1 and then asked me about her and our experience.

WHen I asked if dd2 could have a bottle as I was exhausted, post c-section, the woman next to me had kept me awake all day and night with her snoring - seriously bad, and dd2 was wanting to feed all the time - I had to sign a piece of paper to say I had requested the bottle, that I was not being told to ff against my will almost. Very strange.

I managed to sort it after 8 weeks dd2 and I got the hang of it.

But i am so glad it was there for those experiences - both dd1 for whom I could not express enough and for dd2 when I just needed to sleep.

blushingm · 01/01/2009 12:25

the baby is a patient yes?? they provide food for the mum (she has a choice of menu) why not provide for the baby

with both my children i felt i really wanted to bf and left hospital as a bf'der........but it didn't work out but it was my choice to try. Give support and info and let the mum chose how - they don't provide nappies etc as this isn't a choice it's basic requirement like a nightie and clean pants for the mum -- they do have some available if you have truly used all you brought as you have stayed longer than expected and dh hasn't brought a new pack in yet - they can't leave a baby in a wet/dirty nappy can they?

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