formula in the hospital

NicoleNielsen59 · November 2013

Do they usually stock all the brands so you can choose or do they usually have only one type of formula?

michelle7482 · November 2013

I got to choose.

NicoleNielsen59 · November 2013

thanks, so they stocked all the major brands?

HBirdie · November 2013

We supplemented for one day, and we didn't get to choose. They may have different kinds, but they gave is Similac... Advance, I think? With a blue label?

dimples128 · November 2013

We were able to choose

EmR22 · November 2013

We got to choose between similac and emfamil. That was all they had.

michelle7482 · November 2013

Yes, they had Enfamil, similac, and gerber

[Deleted User] · November 2013

We were able to choose between regular similac, similac sensitive or enfamil.

juliane2004 · November 2013

With our first, I wasn't given options, but I know now that they have more than one, so with babies 2-4, we requested the formula we use.

emorda · November 2013

I know the hospital where I delevered had different kinds, both Similac and Infamil. Maybe others too?

I bf right after she was born, during our skin-to-skin bonding time. Later the next I asked my nurse for formula to supplement (I wasn't sure if lo was getting enough since I was new at this) and she said they don't give formula out to mothers who bf. I was a little upset. I guess if you bf from the beginning they won't give you a single oz of formla if you are doing fine, even if you want to introduce it to your lo. This was at my hospital so just letting you know they might be like this where you deliver too. Hopefully they aren't.

sparks4stp · November 2013

When I took a class at the hospital the nurse told us they always give you say A brand but if you request B brand they will give it to you. So they may have other options but not freely give you that info.

Carnation77 · November 2013

PP - I don't think it's a great practice. The decision of whether to introduce formula is the parent's. Not the hospital's. Refusing to give it because the woman has shown she can BF (which let's face it - the majority of women can to some degree) is paternalistic and insulting to intelligent women who are capable of making the best decision for themselves and their child. Formula shouldn't be pushed on someone, but if they ask for it (and it's given to others) then it should also be given to the BFing mother who asks about it. BFing doesn't have to be all or nothing.

llybeck · November 2013

Carnation77 said:
PP - I don't think it's a great practice. The decision of whether to introduce formula is the parent's. Not the hospital's. Refusing to give it because the woman has shown she can BF (which let's face it - the majority of women can to some degree) is paternalistic and insulting to intelligent women who are capable of making the best decision for themselves and their child. Formula shouldn't be pushed on someone, but if they ask for it (and it's given to others) then it should also be given to the BFing mother who asks about it. BFing doesn't have to be all or nothing.

Agreed. My DD was having a ton of trouble latching and is a "lazy" eater meaning she barely would suck and ended up getting next to nothing. Even when she was starving. She lost more than 10% body weight in the hospital and we were having a horrible time BFing, she was so frantic and trying so hard to eat and nothing was working, we met with every LC in the hospital and nothing helped.

I asked for formula eventually because she clearly wasn't getting enough to eat and I was told she hadn't lost enough weight for that, they also shamed the hell out of me for asking. I tried to get help yet again to BF and the LC got frustrated and told me I'd just have to wait because DD was "too upset" to eat. No shit she's upset, she's starving! Finally she lost "enough" weight (over 12%) so they allowed me to supplement. She ate like crazy and was just fine. It was a nightmare having to watch her be hungry and not be able to help, I should have been able to supplement the first time I asked.

CaliforniaDream87 · November 2013

We chose.

emorda · November 2013

Carnation77 said:
PP - I don't think it's a great practice. The decision of whether to introduce formula is the parent's. Not the hospital's. Refusing to give it because the woman has shown she can BF (which let's face it - the majority of women can to some degree) is paternalistic and insulting to intelligent women who are capable of making the best decision for themselves and their child. Formula shouldn't be pushed on someone, but if they ask for it (and it's given to others) then it should also be given to the BFing mother who asks about it. BFing doesn't have to be all or nothing.

That's EXACTLY how I felt Carnation77!! It's my personal choice and it upset me.

@lalamama81 - I see your point and never thought of it that way but I was put off by it at the time. I still think they shouldn't refuse formula just bc you bf. It's not costing them anything.

Carnation77 · November 2013

LalaMama81 - so instead of just refusing to give a mother formula, why not explain the risks of introducing formula too early? I agree it can harm the chances of successfully BFing to introduce formula too early, but again, that's the mom's decision to make (not a stranger's). This is what really irritates me about medical practice, particularly when it comes to women. Medical professionals are too quick to just tell a woman what to do rather than explaining the pros and cons, risk and benefits, of each course of action and allowing her to make an intelligent decision. Sure, it takes more time, but it's her body and her baby and her life.

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