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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Have just been talking to a friend who has newborn and was telling me that the women on her ward were not allowed to bf.

56 replies

wannaBe · 26/02/2009 16:59

I realize that I am probably the last person who would be expected to post about this, but am somewhat at hearing this.

She had a c-section, and because it is her second child she essentially knows what she is doing and is bf.

But she said that she was the only woman on the ward who was breastfeeding, and that a number of women asked for help to bf and were told no, they had to give bottles.

Have said she should write and complain about this.

Am really because I was personally given very good bf support there six years ago, and although it didn't work out for me that isn't through any fault of the hospital.

so wtf?

OP posts:

MissisBoot · 26/02/2009 17:01

wtf indeed - that's awful

AnarchyAunt · 26/02/2009 17:01

What hospital was this?

TBH I have difficulty believing it - not doubting what you say, but could she have misunderstood maybe? I can't see how they could expect to get away with it...

Original poster

wannaBe · 26/02/2009 17:03

gwh in swindon.

OP posts:

Hangingbellyofbabylon · 26/02/2009 17:04

name and shame the hospital, that is awful. I remember being told I was 'making a rod for my own back' by trying to breastfeed my premature baby. they just didn't get why I didn't just shove her in the nursery at night and were quite pissed off when I made them wake me so I could express etc. I found it was more certain individuals rather than the whole hospital though, the attitudes changed as the shift did. Luckily at a crucial time I had a lovely miwdwife who managed to get dd sorted.

How's your friend doing now? nightmare for her because even if you know what you're doing you need support after a section.

Hangingbellyofbabylon · 26/02/2009 17:05

cross post, glad I'm not in Swindon.

Lizzylou · 26/02/2009 17:05

That is really shocking, but I am not overly surprised.
When I had DS2 I was on a ward and all the other new mothers were bottlefeeding, I was the only 2nd time Mom and the only one BF. I don't think I heard any of the nursing staff saying that they couldn't bf, it just wasn't mentioned as an option/encouraged and I felt like I was just left to it (not that I minded tbh!).

With DS1 I was lucky enough to have my own room and an angel of a MW who pretty much stayed up all night with me to help get me started bf'ing.

georgimama · 26/02/2009 17:07

Is she telling the truth? Were they telling her the truth about why they weren't breastfeeding?

But if she is for real yes she should complain.

cmotdibbler · 26/02/2009 17:14

My friend had her baby in GWH - I know that her breastfeeding support was terrible.

TheCrackFox · 26/02/2009 17:15

Hmm, not sure I believe your friend TBH. I know a very senior midwife (now a director of a hospital) who says midwives can be fired for advocating bottle feeding. She doesn't live in Swindon though.

Original poster

wannaBe · 26/02/2009 17:31

georgi obviously I can't be 100% sure that she is telling the truth, but she wouldn't have reason to make it up iyswim? She said that she was on a ward so actually heard these women (the one opposite and the one in the bed next to her) ask for help with bf. One of the babies had apparently been given a bottle because of jaundice and the mw told this woman that once a baby is given formula they are not able to bf. she herself was told to give her ds a bottle but she refused.

Sounds like she's had a hideous time there tbh - she had a section and was sent home two days later with no pain relief other than paracetamol.

OP posts:

Upwind · 26/02/2009 17:32

did the other women have c-sections?

apparantly it is now NHS policy that you must NEVER breastfeed lying down in the hospital as there is a risk you might fall asleep... very difficult for women to feed post c-section

Original poster

wannaBe · 26/02/2009 17:33

this is the same hospital btw where a woman died a couple of years ago after the epidural drug was injected into her. Not that that is necessarily relevant but ykwim.

OP posts:

tattycoram · 26/02/2009 17:40

Upwind I didn't know that. I still think of hte lovely midwife who showed me how to bf lying down as she said it was much more relaxed when you're starting out.

Breastfeeding rates are monitored and published annually I think (am no expert in this), so it will officially be hospital policy to encourage high take up. Sounds like the midwifes in taht unit just aren't doing their jobs properly

Upwind · 26/02/2009 17:58

tattycoram - but how do they measure the rates? I was mix feeding with formula when I left the hospital and my notes say I was exlusively breastfeeding - I really did intend to and was a few days later, but they've not asked me since.

giantkatestacks · 26/02/2009 18:03

Upwind I've never heard that before (the horizontal thing) and it wasnt mentioned to me at all - when did it come in?

Upwind · 26/02/2009 18:27

my baby was born last month - they said guidance had changed. One midwife caught me feeding lying down and explained that was the way she had preferred to feed her own baby, and they couldn't stop me doing it at home but it was not allowed in the hospital.

don't know how it would be feasible to breastfeed in any other postition right after a section

DaisyMooSteiner · 26/02/2009 18:30

Sorry, that's untrue Upwind. It might have been hospital policy, but it's certainly not NHS policy. I often get women to feed lying down, both in recovery and on the postnatal ward.

Upwind · 26/02/2009 18:32

happy to be corrected
and glad it is not NHS policy!

Poledra · 26/02/2009 18:33

upwind when I had DD3 7 months ago, I had her in bed with me and we were both asleep and the MWs were fine with it. I'd had an epidural and was unable to get up at that point.

The poor Bounty lady, though, had peeped into my cubicle, seen me sleeping with DD's empty cot next to me and run off to the MWs, panicking that my baby had gone {grin]. DD was tucked in under my arm, snoozing happily.

CherryChoc · 26/02/2009 18:54

Upwind when? I had a DS in October and was encouraged to bf him lying down as I couldn't physically hold him sitting up, I was too tired.

They even tucked the bedsheets round DS "In case you fall asleep". DP was sitting right next to me as well half watching DS, half dozing (had him in the morning)

me23 · 26/02/2009 19:01

if u read daisys post you will see that this isn't NHS policy but just that particular hospital. I often see mothers breastfeeding lying down wherew I work too. absoulutely no problem.

nailpolish · 26/02/2009 19:03

wannabe i dont think you are a liar but i dont believe this for a second

not one second

traceybath · 26/02/2009 19:08

Well my sister had a c-section 2 days ago. And was upset yesterday when the Dr doing the paeds exam said she should give the baby formula as he was hungry. There was no reason such as low blood sugars but when he put his finger in the baby's mouth the baby sucked on it.

My sister was upset by this as he made her feel as though she was starving her baby at the expense of her views. Luckily a lovely midwife reassured my sister she was doing fantastically well with breastfeeding. The midwife did say though that she wasn't very happy with that particular Dr as he'd said the same to two other mothers that day.

The support for bf is just not always there unfortunately - i think in over-stretched post-natal wards the staff just don't have the time always to help mothers with bf.

tiktok · 26/02/2009 19:09

I don't believe it, either, nailpolish. This is a story mediated through 2 different people, one of whom overheard something.

It is possible a baby was given formula and the mother was told this had to happen, and that (erroneously) this meant she could not bf. This is poor midwifery, of course, but it will not reflect a general situation of several women not being 'allowed' to bf.

ShowOfHands · 26/02/2009 19:14

I wasn't told I wasn't 'allowed' to bf but was told that there was nobody to help me with it (first time mum). I was told that if I couldn't get dd to latch and feed then I would have to give her formula as they were too busy to sit and talk me through bfing.

I asked again a few hours later (dd jaundiced and sleepy, wouldn't latch) and was told to make a choice of which brand of formula I wanted.

The woman changing the beds heard me sobbing and came and helped. Not an expert, just a Mum. She came back several times that day to help me feed.

So, yes, I believe there is some truth to this.

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