Bham women's hosp will not provide milk or sterile environment for new mums...

[satsumaish]

Cannot believe this, but mw warned me today that due to breast is best policy the hopsital will not provide first milk, or bottles or an area to sterilise bottles after July 1st.

I cannot bf due to medical reasons, but even if I could, I would like to feel that there was milk available for my baby after god knows how long being in labour. I reckon this is totally wrong and punishes new mums who can't or don't want to bf.

Please can I urge you to get in touch with the hospital and discuss your fears. The team at BWH (with a couple of exceptions) are great - really supportive.

What if hospitals were to continue to provide formula but parents, who were physically capable of doing it, were taught to cup feed rather than to feed formula by bottle?

I do agree that somethings need changing on some wards. Providing formula for parents who intended to bf but couldn't is one thing. Providing formula to those who ticked that as the preferred feeding method prior to birth ought to bring their own formula.

One midwife elsewhere said that for a few months the staff at her unit measured all the undrunk formula before binning it and at the end of the month, an avg of £2,000 was going down the drain.

I really don't see how the amount / value of wasted formula has to do with whether it should be provided; this only suggests the pre-sterilised glass bottles are too big. I was using 15 mls per feed every 2 hours (supplementing via naso-gastric tube until I could express enough) and having to bin the rest of a bottle, so I did waste a fair amount!

I'm with PeppaPig on the 'glass bottles are too big' thing. I wanted to breastfeed but despite everyone's efforts we couldn't get baby to latch (long story, TT involved, blah blah) the entire 4 days I was in hospital following my EMCS. The midwife/paed 'prescribed it' as DD was not feeding, I could barely express anything and DD was a teeny tiny thing and needed fed - I had no choice in the matter. We used a cup and syringes. We used the glass bottles and used about 20-30 mls a feed (and I'm sure it was even less than that at the start). Loads went down the sink, as obviously the bottles couldn't be left out for the following feeds. I was also completely immobile for at least 24 hours, so those were the only practical option.

There were other mums in the ward who had clearly planned to bottle feed and were using glass bottles too (as far as I could see, anyway). I don't know if these were provided, but I certainly didn't see any mums going anywhere to prepare/clean and sterilise bottles. I don't know where they would have put one. It was a big ward and I imagine it would have been a bit impractical. Can you imagine loads of hormonal mums shuffling around trying to figure out whose bottles/milk are whose? Maybe I just didn't see it... I didn't even have access to the fridge where my EBM was being kept, I had to ask for it. Even if you did plan on formula feeding beforehand, there would be loads of instances where you couldn't get up to prepare feeds/clean up - post CS/ forceps, for example. Is B'ham's policy just a front to 'promote' BFing and make mums that are planning on formula feeding more prepared? I guess you would have to take in disposable bottles and cartons...

Cup feeding doesn't work for sleepy jaundiced babies. I was told today that my two DGH's no longer stock any formula, just sterile water bottles. Even if a paediatrician says that formula is required.... so I should take formula this time in case I have same problems feeding as last time and can't express enough milk to prevent dehydration. This has worried me alot. It doesn't seem right. I used formula for 6 weeks to top up with then BF for 3.5 years. I know not ideal but saved my sons life.

Coming back to the OP's concern.... if the hospital don't provide sterilising facilities, then bringing your own formula isn't the only issue. If you take your own ub, how are you meant to safely feed it to your baby if there is no sterilising facility?

I got my own steriliser brought in to the hospital - my baby was tube fed and I was trying to get her to feed independently by any means (we did manage to BF inthe end) I and was happy for her to be fed EBM / formula in a bottle if necessary. I wanted to try different types of bottles, as the pre-sterilised ones are limited for teat size and shape etc. I was challenged on this by a healthcare assistant, but I simply said I would remove my steriliser when she showed me the written hospital policy which said I could not have it on the ward. She never did find that, even after a fortnight....

cup feeding may not work for a jaundiced baby but feeding by syringe, formula, colostrum or breastmilk does.

If staff had to sign out all the formula they gave to mothers on the ward logging quantity amt, age of baby etc. it may bring down the amt of formula they are offering. oh, and a lot less of midwives taking babies to nurses' stations to 'feed them so mum can rest' surely most mums are to be encouraged to feed their own baby irrespective of feeding method and unless they are truly too ill to feed them.