spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

Another poster on the thread had a similiar experience as I did, in being denied formula and having to jump through hoops to get it.

Do you recall being pressured to BF in the hospital or having trouble with getting formula or was your request received well?

If you feel like sharing, please list the hospital.

spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I have told my story a few times. I was originally going to BF. Changed my mind in the hospital and was denied formula. DH had to "steal" it from the nurses station while my roommate was given more bottles than she would ever need.

Hospital was Good Sam

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I said i would try BF so they allowed me to do that. saw lactation specialist pretty much a few hours after I said that.
I did supplement and had no problem with getting formula.
After a day or so, I decided to just formula feed as I didn't have any milk come in at all! The lactation consultant then became very pushy about not giving up, but formula was still made available to me. I was denied pain medication due to breastfeeding and had to endure c-section recovery with nothing to fight the pain. I left for home with a bookbag full of formula (which was great since I had none at home)

the hospital was maimonides in brooklyn, which is on the Lach on NYC list.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I was out of state in Utah. They are very pro bfing but. Of forcefull. I did try bfing, with nurses and LC help but it didn't work. Dd would t latch and it was horrible. She would scream b/c she was starving and we were squeezing her and forcing her on me. I wound up in tears as well. It was just awful. The LC was useless. The nurses were more helpful but still didn't help. But formula was very available to me. It was actually in her the draw of her bassinet and refilled when asked. They were not bad with it at all. Now I am in MA and wonder what it will be like when the time comes.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I decided to formula feed immediately and was given no trouble whatsoever. I delivered at St. Luke's in Manhattan.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I told them once I planned to formula feed and that was it. No one mentioned BFing after that. There was always formula in the bassinet.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

First ds in 2008, we brought home weeks worth offer ulna. Thes nurses gave us so much in his bin every day. Second ds in 2010, my lord it was like stealing gold. The nurses were so annoying about the formula. This was at nsum

I felt like the Lc's were not helpful at all. No one was able to get my first ds to latch. And I had to wait for an LC to come. Nurses tried to help but they are not trained for it. Bad experience, because I am total pushover and could not listen to my baby cry. The LC and nurses don't care if your baby is screaming because they are hungry

Message edited 7/30/2012 9:31:23 PM.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

Posted by cncforever

Posted by alli3131

I have told my story a few times. I was originally going to BF. Changed my mind in the hospital and was denied formula. DH had to "steal" it from the nurses station while my roommate was given more bottles than she would ever need.

Hospital was Good Sam

Sorry for your experience.

Why do you think this was? Do you think it was because you consented to BF beforehand that they thought maybe you'd change your mind back to BF?

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

Posted by alli3131

Posted by cncforever

Posted by alli3131

I have told my story a few times. I was originally going to BF. Changed my mind in the hospital and was denied formula. DH had to "steal" it from the nurses station while my roommate was given more bottles than she would ever need.

Hospital was Good Sam

Sorry for your experience.

Why do you think this was? Do you think it was because you consented to BF beforehand that they thought maybe you'd change your mind back to BF?

It might have been but I was there for 4 days and tried for most of the time. I met with the LC and had nurses try to help. DS was screaming and when I finally got formula he was a different baby. I left a day early cause I wanted to be home where I did not have to deal with the BS.

Message edited 7/30/2012 9:37:45 PM.

spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I delivered at nsuh and I told them I wanted to try BF but I had a c-section and was in a lot of pain and had allergic reaction to the epidural and had to take Benadryl which in turn made me very sleepy..at that time I decided I wanted to ff and they became very pushy with the whole bf thing and tried to deny me formula. I got several lectures from the nurses, which really pissed me off but they gave me the formula anyway

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I delievered at St Charles. I BF the whole time in the hospital. Had lots of help and wonderful nurses who did not voice their opinion just offered support and education. They did send me home with formula which I did use when I started supplemementing.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I nursed both of my kids. They neither encouraged nor discouraged either BF or FF, but the formula was always available in the cart when my DS was born 5 years ago. An LC came to see me when I requested it and they gave me a hand pump to take home as well as formula.

For my second child (DD), I told the nurses that I wanted them to give her a bottle of formula for the 3 am feeding. I nursed her for all of the other feedings. They did not even bother waking me up and kept her so I could sleep. When I told them about my plan, they did say they encouraged rooming with the baby at all times. I had DD with me from 5 am until midnight/1 am. As a second time mom, I spoke up for myself and said I needed my sleep. I wanted to be able to recover from my repeat c/s. They understood and I did not get spoken to about it again. Had I been a first time mom, I am not sure I would have spoken up and had my needs met. They sent me home with the simulac package. DD will be 3 years old at the end of September. However, that time there was no formula in the cart with DD. Had I wanted formula for her, I would have had to ask for it every time. I am in NJ.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

Huntington Hospital was great and there was no pressure to FF or BF. They were helpful either way. . .However. .

with DS - I had an AWFUL night nurse, who was SHOVING DS on me and I had no idea what I was doing and so upset. I do think she put a bad first BFing experience in my mouth.

But with my DD I had an AMAZING nurse while still in L&D that helped me tremendously.

I think the LC could've been more present at Huntington Hospital. (she didn't even show up when I had DD - I think they should HAVE to visit every mother who is trying to BF. I did have questions for her since I failed at BFing with my DS but had wonderful nurses to turn too instead.)

ETA - I did get formula to go home with, with my DS & with my DD they did not give me formula to go home (& I assume it's b/c I was BFing successfully, so I did not mind)

Message edited 7/30/2012 9:49:19 PM.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I delivered at NSUH and told them I was going to try breastfeeding but that I wanted to put the baby in the nursery overnight. They gave me no problem whatsoever and gave DD bottles at night. Nobody gave me a problem not even the LC. My milk didnt wind up even coming in right away so I gave her formula and pumped to stimulate until it did (after I came home).

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

On my last day in the hospital (stonybrook), I had requested a bottle of formula bc my daughter was just not taking from me and I felt she must have been starving and yes, they basically refused to give me it and tried for the 45th million time to get DD to latch on. When they saw it wasn't working (it hadn't worked for 2 freaking days by this point), instead of giving formula, they had me use a pump since I was so engorged and then try to get her to latch. Still didn't work... so she got pumped milk and I continued to do that at home and have been for 10 weeks now... Lots of work on my part. Formula would have been such an easier route but I love to do things the hard way

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I was in Winthrop. I was asked when I was admitted if I was going to FF or BF. I told them my plan was to try to BF. When DD was born, I tried to BF but I was having a lot of difficulty. I was worried that my DD was not getting anything so I asked the nurse for formula to supplement. They refused to give it to me until my ped came in and ordered it. Needless to say, I was pissed. How dare they? As a new mom, I was intimidated and waited but if that ever happens again with any other LO I may have, I will flip the hell out on the nurse.

Message edited 7/30/2012 10:16:00 PM.

spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

The LC in the hospital told the nurse not to give me the formula b/c I was on the verge of giving up. I was pissed, at the end of the day I needed sleep and DD got formula that night. I did breatfeed/pump for the next 4 months, but I needed one night of rest before I went home.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

Message edited 7/30/2012 10:24:23 PM.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I tried and tried to BF in the hospital, but it wasn't working. Worried that my daughter was starving, I asked for formula. They gave it to me, but it was never without a speech on how BF'ing is so much better, etc. A couple of nurses looked at me with such disappointment when they found out I had given her formula. I really started to get annoyed after a while, but thankfully I only stayed two days at the hospital. One really sweet nurse did give me a crap load of formula when I left.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I delivered at Winthrop in February. I told them I was going to BF. They wrote that on my little bassinet thingy. I also kept the baby with me the whole time, they only took him once a day for vitals, weight, etc. I never saw a thing of formula ever. BF went fine and I never asked either.

However, each night, the new nurse that came on about 11 pm would come in to check on me and then try and get me to have the baby taken to the nursery so I could sleep. When I said I was fine with him being with me since I was BF, they said "Oh, don't worry, we can formula feed him overnight if you want to sleep." So it went both ways.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

When I had my first DS I kept him with me overnights and nursed. I came home absolutely exhausted! When I had second DS I decided my sleep was as important as anything else. I kept the by wih me until the last night feeding- around 11pm and sent him to the nursery. I had them give formula for his next feeding and then bring him o me for the next feeding. No one said anything about it. They did exactly what I asked. I delivered at White Plains Hospital Center.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I delivered at NUMC (yea i kno, but no insurance = desperation.) They werent really pushy with BF'ing however they werent exactly helpful with it either. As a first time mom at 5 in the am...i had no idea what the hell i was doing. So i tried Bfing DD refused to take it. So they gave me the nursette they said they encourage their mothers to bf, i flat out told them, then she's going to starve because she wont take it, they gave me enough to get through the first night. Then it repeated all over again.

Re: spinoff- If you asked for formula in hospital

I delivered both times at NSUH. Was asked right after deliver if I was going to BF or FF. told them I was going to FF.
That was it. They gave me formula, no questions asked and actually handed me bags of formula as I was being discharged to take With me. Not pushy at all (as of April 2011 anyway)

Message edited 7/30/2012 10:48:05 PM.