Hospital policy

[Mishy1234]

OK, this is not a bf vs ff thread but I would value some opinion.

My DS has been in hospital since friday with suspected viral meningitis. We're still waiting for the final test results, but he's much improved after IV antibiotics and we were moved from an isolation room to a ward yesterday.

Since we've been in, I've always been given breakfast (no other meals) and assumed this was the same case for all parents staying with their children.

This morning was our first morning on the ward and the lady came with my breakfast but didn't offer anyone else. She then said that they only feed bf mums as they are busy in the morning with early feeds etc and need to maintain their fluid and energy levels for bf.

Cue one of the other mums exclaiming in a very loud voice how ridiculous it was and that ff mums are busy too. Not sure if that was for my benefit or for the hospital staff.

Tbh I kind of agree and don't think it is fair. Now I have toast in front of me, am starving but feel too awkward to eat it.

Is the hospital being fair or should the rules be the same for all?

Apologies for not answering sooner, it's been a hectic day.

Just to clarify. No, ff Mums don't get offered any breakfast and yes, formula is provided.

I think in principal the policy is ok, but in reality unfair. It's a very emotionally charged atmosphere with some very tired and worried parents. A difference in treatment like this does seem a very big deal under such circumstances.

Thanks for all the replies. DS is improving and may get out tomorrow, fingers crossed.

I did eat my toast in the end!

Glad to hear he's improving.

I can see both sides of this. I do remember one occasion we were on a long journey and stuck in traffic when I was breastfeeding. I was so shaky and sick from not eating I nearly passed out when we finally got into the service station.

That's only ever happened to me when I've been breastfeeding.

But if I was in hospital with my sick baby and ffing being offered breakfast would be very helpful I would imagine.

I didn't get any special treatment in our local hospital when my EBF DD was admitted at 4 months old with bronchiolitis, that sounds unusual to me and a bit weird.

I've heard of this before and it does make some logical sense in that the hospital provides food for the patient - you are providing bm - so they feed you. ff babies get the formula.
making distinctions between ff/bf mothers is always very difficult and emotionally charged though.

I don't know if it is part of bfing baby friendly standards, but it seems bfing baby friendly to keep the provider of milk hydrated and nurished. Or to provide the milk if formula fed.

I think the lady who spoke her mind might have considered her actions a little. SHe could have made a lot of people feel very uncomfortable. If she felt uncomfortable with the policy, she probably ought to have taken it up in private. I know she was probably stressed and pissed off, but still.

It would be lovely to think hospitals could provide for parents. I think they budget less than a quid a day or something like that for patient meals. So never gonna happen.

When I was in with dd I got nothing, but didn't expect to tbh. Plus I had famly to bring me plenty of juice etc, and there was a kitchen to store it. The kids dinners came on a Thoma Tank Engine warm trolly - so I heart out paed ward

I can understand it, tbh normally they feed the patient (hence the formula for ff babies) but in the case of bf babies they feed the milk source (mother) who processes the hospital food into milk for the baby. That was how it worked when DS was admitted at a month old I got free hospital food because he was bf.

BUT on the other hand it's not realistic for many parents of a sick baby in hospital to sort out their own meals on top of worrying about their baby. Lovely MIL used to bring me in home-cooked meals to heat up in the microwave (because the hospital food, while free, was not very pleasant). So it would be nice in general if there was consideration of the practicalities of a small child being in hospital.

On a hypothetical third hand, if a ff baby is from a two-parent family the parents can switch around so that they get a break, can go and get something to eat, etc. When DS was tiny and in hospital and bf round the clock it had to be me who stayed with him, pretty much constantly. There was no way I could have practically gone and sorted myself out something to eat. Single parent ff mothers are in the same boat, though.

ds2 was taken into hospital aged 3 days and i was not fed anything at all
the canteen was on a different floor
part of the reason why he was in was feeding problems btw - i was trying to establish bfing
having to sort out my own food on top of everything else, 3 days post partum, was a fricking nightmare tbh