The hospital that I delivered at doesn't have any crazy formula samples laying around anyways, so the NY thing really seems like NBD. But, it sounds like that's not the case everywhere.
[Poll]
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Shawn and Larissa
LO #1 - Took 2 years and 2 IVFs ~ DX - severe MFI mild PCOS homozygous MTHFR (a1298c)
LO #2 - TTC 7 months, surprise spontaneous BFP!
Re: Was there a formula sample in your hospital room?
The first time I delivered I got a set of Medela pump parts but that's because they wanted me pumping right away and brought in a Symphony for me to use.
~Working Mom~Breastfeeding Mom~Cloth Diapering Mom~BLW Mom~
Blog - No Longer on the DL ~ The Man Cave
Shawn and Larissa
LO #1 - Took 2 years and 2 IVFs ~ DX - severe MFI mild PCOS homozygous MTHFR (a1298c)
LO #2 - TTC 7 months, surprise spontaneous BFP!
There was no mention of formula until I requested/mentioned it. I was also provided with a LC, breast pump, BFing supplies and resources.
I consider my hospital very BFing friendly. I was sent home with free formula, which was greatly appreciated. (I was using formula at that point)I wouldn't have been if I was bFing though.
Nope, I didn't see formula until the last day there. I had a massive attack of some sort, anxiety/panic idk but it was bad and they had to knock me out, so Maya had formula while I was out. 3 bottles... I was devastated but my baby had to eat. She ended up going back to the breast like a champ though, so we got lucky with that. But it was good that she could do both because I had to supplement with formula the entire first month because I was having such an excruciatingly painful BFing experience.
We did get sent home with a whole kit, those little bottles and some mix in packets and a bunch of coupons. They also had all of those freebie formula sets at our OB... and because FI is such a klepto/freebie freak we ended up bringing one home almost every appointment it turned out being good though, because we needed them.
I did get BFing stuff to, my hospital was VERY pro BF. Those snappies BM storage things and lanolin and pads and shells to protect my nips from rubbing on clothes, and let them air dry to heal.
If I asked for it, it was available. But it came from the nursery. It wasn't on display in the room or anything.
I was asked if I intended to BF or FF. I replied BF, and that was that. No mention of formula after that, just a lot of support from the LC.
MMC 3.30.16
I got a freebie bag with two 4-packs of premade formula, a cannister of powder, and a bottle/cooler gift pack from a formula company, among other things.
The maternity ward was very supportive of BFing... the NICU was pushing formula on us. To this day, I still think they gave her formula behind my back. Now I don't really care and we are transitioning to exclusive formula, but then with my hormones raging and my baby in an incubator thingy... oh it was horrible.
I was asked and said BF and was given the little ready made bottles anyways. I wish they would've provided pump parts and/or a pump. That would've been awesome. When I went home I had all the little bottles I didn't use AND a big tub of powder Similac (which I am just now using). Lanolin would also helped. LC was ok but not always available.
I understand the argument for why there shouldn't be formula samples in hospitals as it's not supportive of exclusive breastfeeding, but I'm curious as to why you refer to them as "crazy formula samples."
With both of my boys I was given formula samples at my ob/gyn appts, our pediatrician orientation appointment & received samples by mail.
With DS1, I refused to use any of them until my son, at 4 months was underweight & we were concerned. Then, I supplemented while continuing to nurse and pump.
With DS2, I decided not to put the pressure on myself to EFB. (I have anxiety & depression issues & this was made worse by the pressure I put on myself to EBF, especially when it didn't go well. I always made plenty of milk-- I often pumped 8oz-- it just didn't seem to be enough to help my son gain weight.) We BF & FF from the very beginning DS2. He had some breathing trouble for the first 8 hours or so after he was born & his blood sugar was low. He received formula for his first meal then I was allowed to nurse a few hours later.
Some babies need formula, for whatever reason. It's not crazy to provide it for them.
It was not sitting in my room. However, LO went through a rough delivering and was receiving oxygen and special care in the nursery after his delivery. The nurses were very aware I wanted to BF and I believe were very supportive.
However, LO had a lot of head trauma from birth and his heart rate was dropping. He wasn't able to come nurse and I was in such bad shape I couldn't go to him. They asked if they could feed him formula. I was upset but knew it needed to be done.
He refused it anyway. He latched perfectly a few hours later. He's been on the boob since! He just knew how good the boob was and was holding out for it!
For me they gave away a diaper organizer with a small can of powdered formula. Prior to birth I received a box of formula in the mail unsolicited.
I had a LC visit with me everyday while at the hospital The nurses themselves also gave advice on holds, latch, ect...
I was told they would give me samples if I was planning to FF, but since I told them I was planning to EBF, they sent in a LC instead. I did get samples from my OB, but then the pedi gave me a manual-that-converts-to-electric pump. I also got samples in the mail.
I agree with mama though, it was nice having the samples around as a safety net while we were still establishing BF'ing. It made me feel a lot better just in case I was like my mother after my birth. She ended up in emergency surgery to remove her gallbladder when I was just a few weeks old.
I use the word crazy a lot when I speak. It's not meant to be offensive. I agree that it's not crazy to provide formula to babies that need it. It is, however somewhat crazy to provide formula to all babies
~Working Mom~Breastfeeding Mom~Cloth Diapering Mom~BLW Mom~
Blog - No Longer on the DL ~ The Man Cave
Shawn and Larissa
LO #1 - Took 2 years and 2 IVFs ~ DX - severe MFI mild PCOS homozygous MTHFR (a1298c)
LO #2 - TTC 7 months, surprise spontaneous BFP!
Agreed-- not all babies need it & a new mother's breastfeeding relationship is quite fragile. Sorry, if I overreacted.
I voted ss because I gave birth in Germany, and I don't think they give you any formula samples here.
I did get a few small packets of Lanishoh (sp) cream, though.
DS born via unplanned C-section at 40w6d
Not *in* the room, but multiple times the nurses tried to hoist samples on me to take home (as did my OB, incidentally), even though I was obviously wanting to BF. They kept saying "Well, just in case you need it."
And they claimed to be a BF-friendly hospital.
I answered "special snowflake."
I had marked that I wanted to BF. I saw LCs in the hospital (multiple times!) after the birth. There was never any formula "just lying around" in the room. However, baby girl had jaundice and was losing weight and having trouble latching on....she didn't want to really eat a lot....she'd fall asleep on the boob. Since she wasn't eating, she wasn't pooping, so she was staying jaundiced.
Finally the nurses recommended supplementing via SNS with some formula. So I did that. It helped with her jaundice enough that she was able to go home on time (they wanted to maybe keep her) and then we just went to the pedi the next day. So the hospital sent me home with a few bottle of ready mixed formula for supplementation but I didn't get a swag bag and never saw any formula in her cart or just lying around.
At the pedi, the LC on staff suggested to continue supplementing for a couple days (I can't remember exactly). She suggested to start pumping but gave me a bunch of ready mixed formula until I could get enough pumped. (Which I was able to do within a day-ish so I had LOTS of leftover formula from the hospital and LC.)
So I feel I only got formula for a purpose, not just "here, have some formula." In hind sight, I wonder why the hospital didn't have me pump to supplement? (Or give me pump parts! That would have been nice!) But whatever.
I never got formula from the OB. I did get lots of formula in the mail though. I kept in in the closet for a long time but never felt really "tempted" by it. (I was glad to have it more in case I became incapacitated or something.) I finally donated it to a women's shelter.