Are Hospitals That Give Out Free Formula Sabotaging Breastfeeding?

my daughter had a difficult time and then came along the "ladies to show her how to breast feed her son and rent her a breast pump.by the second day she was so distressed because they made her feel she wasn't a "great mom" if she didn't breast feed her baby. they made me want to throw up, i wanted to throw them out but that was she and her husband's decision not mine. she tried and cried for days and was made to feel like a failure as a woman... so give them a sample at the hospital, give them a choice. that is what it is , a choice.

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I tried to brestfeed with my first two children and found it very uncomfortable which made my baby uncomfortable it was very stressful and diffcult and I did end up going to formula but not because the hospital gave me samples but because that was the best choice for my kids and for me. I can't stand being made to feel like a bad mother for not breastfeeding my child that is a mother's own personal choice and she should not feel pressured into anything. I am currently pregnant with my third child and couldn't breastfeed this time even if I wanted to due to medications I take for diabeties and blood pressure some women are not able to breastfeed for one reason or another and shouldn't be made to feel badly because of it.

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No it is not sabotaging a damn thing,I tryed desperatly to breastfeed and the lactation consultants were in my room grabbing my breasts endlessly to no avail, if anything it made me feel like crap and a bad mom because I couldnt ,it was horribly depressing...my child was 4.5 lbs she had to eat and since I couldnt they had formula Thank goodness...giving free formula was immensly helpful to us since we didn't have alot of money it ensures children have food to eat.

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being a new mum isn't easy but the pain doesn't stop after labour. all women should try to breastfeed unless medically advised not to. you need to give yoursf enough time to learn and to teach your newborn baby how to do it. most of us don't see other girl friends/relatives breastfeeding so it's gonna take each generation longer to know how to get it right. If you gave it a good try and then gave formula don't feel guilty. feel proud that you did it for as long as you did. feel angry that you weren't provided with the help you needed to continue

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I spend hours trying to help women breastfeed and I also give out the free diaper bags. Very few who say they want to breastfeed really try. For the most part I'm the only one putting effort into it. Even the ones who truly try often become frustrated because it doesn't go as easily as they are led to believe by what they've read. Frustration is the biggest deterent to breastfeeding and women need to be supported, not stressed. Honestly though, it's not ok to NOT feed the baby for 24 hours because they won't wake up - and although I'd like to breastfeed for you - I can't.

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Im not a mom yet, but I've grown up around children, infants, toddlers an babies enough to know the in's and outs... that not to say by anymeans Im a professional.

Some mother have trouble breastfeeding not just because of a lack of knowledge or a lack of milk. What about post pardom depression? This is a killer, especially in young moms and sexually molested victims... its even possible for those in a happy go lucky relationship.

A friend of mine had started to breast feed her son from birth and she was finding it difficult to get the babe to latch on... so she switched to formula. Turns out the babe suffers from a stomach ulcer! At 3 months... and he's lactose intolerant. What do you do? She's a single mom going through a custody hearing, she doesn't have the money to fork out for 'special' formula... The doctors at the hospital proscribed her a specific formula for her son and Im happy to say he's dribbling and couing like a goodthing now...

Im all for breastfeeding, its a goodway for passing on certain immunites to disease and viruses to your children.It also does give mothers a chance wind-down together in private, away from others and it establishes a form of routine that only the mother and babe can share... but thats not me saying that thats the only way to acheive that sort of connection.

Low income families sometimes have trouble purchaseing Healthy and enriched food... lets face it Junk food is cheaper than organic! This can affect breastmilk as everything you eat has different vitamins,fats and nutrients placed into it. Buying formula can be expensive too, the fact that the hospitals are recognizeing this and are assisting with the purchase of a specific formula brand for new parents isn't necessarily them saying "Here, feed this to your kid... NEXT!" It there way of saying, we support you becomeing a new mom, here is another avenue if this one doesn't work out... it saying were giving you a new chance... If a woman can call herself a mother to her own mother...or another mother, she's officially a Mom.

XD wow that felt great to get off my chest... hmm think I'll go find another topic to talk about!

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I had several kids, and believe me, its not easy to breast feed. I take that back. Its easy to breast feed, not easy to get the kid to start. Not one of my kids started to feed right away and in 2 cases, it took more then 24 hours before the baby started.

3 times I was told by the "expert nursing care" that bottles are easier and faster. It was only easier and faster for them because of the medico rules of the times. After my first child, I found out that they started to bottle feed the babies right away. The second one was when I had to insist that the baby stay with me so that I could keep trying to feed. The lactation coaches that I had left alot to be desired as well.

So what if the baby looses weight when they are born. What they dont tell you is that its normal. Its normal with breast fed babies.

I think that having had 5 children, all breast fed, makes me more of an expert then most doctors and nurses. Heck, twice, I had to talk to a psychiatrise because I refused to have my boys circumsized. What part of Im not jewish and I know how to use soap and water dont they get. I get so tired of the "medical professionals" and Im a nurse. lol. Go figure.

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It took me two months before I was successfully breastfeeding my oldest. My next 3 went a lot easier, but I was still amazed that I still needed help from the lactation consultant when nursing my 4th. It is a lot more work that I initially believed.

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I live in a city where they do not offer formula, except they might when a baby is in the NICU & its mother cannot breastfeed. Our health care system is incredibly supportive of developing a positive breastfeeding relationship - there's a prenatal class focused on breastfeeding, lactation consultants in the hospital & access to the consultants afterwards (either through the breastfeeding centre or through a weekly drop in). Additionally, there is a La Leche League group to provide additional help. We never received formula samples upon discharge; however, we did receive the "lovely" nestle backpack/samples in the mail right around my daughter's due date...just in time for it to be available during the toughest time in breastfeeding. If you ask me, this form of marketing is despicable (not to mention it's in violation of the WHO code). If there was a reason that I needed to give my daughter formula, I know where to buy it - I worked very hard to successfully breastfeed my daughter & for many people, I think that receiving these samples will result in them giving up without even really trying to breastfeed.

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i think the policy of 'no free formula" is ridiculous. I was induced and my milk did not come in for a week. Because of the approach the breast feeding in Toronto my son was nearly re admitted 5 days later with Jaundice and dehydtration.

As a result of the 'formula is poison approach" when he was born the nurses seemed petrified to tell me that I needed to suppliment in order to keep my son healthy because of my situation.

When the child was screaming uncontrollably from hunger, one compassionate nurse snuck some formula into the room, fed him with a medicine cup and snuck a few bottles into my overnight bag as she could clearly see he needed to be supplimented.

She told me she was officially not allowed to give it to me. There is nothing wrong with choosing to suppliment, to breast feed exclusively or to simply formula feed. It is a woman's right to make an informed decision.

I think that the fanatical approach to breast feeding is irresponsible and is going to lead to the death of someone's baby if it is not reigned in.

People need to be educated about all the choices available to them and if a woman chooses to formula feed it is her right and not an indication that she is a failure or a bad mother.

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The hospital I was in at Markham was the worst.... They took my baby out of the room (saying some excuse) or when I was sleeping, feed her formula and returned her without telling me what they had done until it was time to leave the hospital! No wonder she didn't want to feed at the breast!!!!!! I was horrified. She was my only child and I DID feel like I had failed. When I complained to the hospital I was told that I was just being moody (postpartum blues) which I NEVER had. I had waited to have my baby for 9 years so there were NO blues! I was ecstatic. To think that they caused me all that grief - horrible!!!!! I won't tell you the rest of the story but the breastfeeding failed as they too made me feel inadequate :-(

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I just had a baby girl 7 weeks ago at age 44 and I'm breastfeeding for the first time, I gave my other 4 kids formula. Just before I was leaving to go home I was given a gift bag from the hosp just for breastfeeding moms. I was shocked when I looked inside and found a can of formula! I looked at the nurse and asked why this can of formula was in a gift bag for breastfeeding moms? She said...I dont know, the hosp was not the ones that filled the gift bags. So I said that may be so but you are the ones that hand them out, correct? She said yes and walked out of the room saying that my paperwork will be done soon. When My hubby came to get me I showed him the "breastfeeding" gift bag and he to was shocked to find FORMULA in the "BREASTFEEDING" gift bag. He asked if the formula feeding gift bag had a breastpump in it. LOL I said I dont know lets ask the nurse. We asked the nurse and she laughed saying I dont get why they give breastfeeding moms formula in the gift bags, I dont think its right but what can she do about it. So he wrote our name and phone number on the bag and on the can of fornula with a note that said please take back your gift we are breastfeeding and will not be needing your can of formula. handed gift bag back to the nurse and said to please give this gift bag to who ever is in charge of this kind of thing. The nurse took the bag and said " I love it" I will be happy to do that for you sr, it will be my pleasure We never heard from anyone but I think we took a stand and made a statment If more people refuse the gift bag because of the formula. Maby who ever is in charge will get the hint and stop putting a can of formula in the breastfeeding gift bag.

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