Massachusetts hospitals will no longer give out free infant formula

jewel

Saw on the news Massachusetts hospitals will now atop with free formula starting next month to encourage breastfeeding. What are your opinions on this? I personally don't agree it is great they are encouraging breastfeeding especially sinc its best for babies but people should have a choice in what to fed there babies I breatfed my daughter but still came home with formula cause I didn't make enough milk at the time.

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skysma

The goverment has cntinued to try and take away peoples rights

jewel

@mama_kat that's what I was thinking. Not everyone can breastfeed and infant formula companies spend 100s of dollars a year probably on those diaper bags/ gifts for new moms but now Massachusetts mom's wont be allowed them its upsetting

Bahamamama4828

There are hospitals here doing this as well. It can be a good and bad thing. It does encourage bfing but then there are moms who cant bf. At least the moms who WANT to bf, their babies wont be given bottles of formula to undermine the whole nursing relationship

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ashley_smashley

I think those stupid formula bags shouldn't be in the rooms! If you want one then ask...but it's absolutely rediculous to offer a bag full of formula and formula coupons as a "breastfeeding" bag! I refused to take it home, and I refused to buy any formula "just incase". But I was dead set on breast feeding! I knew that I'd I ran into a snag and ABSOLUTELY needed the formula that the grocery is open 24-7 and I could send hubs out for some! Having it so readily available at the hospital does discourage breast feeding for moms who are on the fence bc popping a formula bottle in your babies mouth is a lot easier than practicing and trying the breast feeding!

jennalynne87

I think its a little harsh....just dont force it on the mom. My hospital only gave formula if you asked them to otherwise they brought the baby back in the room when they were hungry

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mommyof3girls

I think most hospitals get that formula for free from formula companies, dont they? Well, i dont think they need to take it away but rather just ask the mom what method she'll b using to feed her baby then offer formula if thats her choice. I formula fed my kids (honestly because thats all i really knew) but we dont qualify for any type of assistance so that was just a very nice little convienience to not have to bring in our own formula. Seems like just one more thing for people to argue about. I do think they need to encourage breast feeding more and education girls/woman on it. After being on pregly i think ill b breast feeding our next child.

squrit299

When I had daughter I was having a lil prob because she had billy Ruben and she wouldn't nurse sometimes and a nurse made me feel bad by saying the billy Ruben would go away If id just give her a bottle.. I felt so sad and n she also said to put formula on my nipples... I.never did and I asked.for a.new nurse.

ashley_smashley

I see where they are coming from...they want more women to breast feed, bc it's better and healthier for the child (no arguments) but I think they went about it in the extreme @mama_kat

natashalynn

I think that if you want to formula feed, that should be on you to buy it. There's nothing wrong with formula feeding, but it does cost money, that's the jist of it. No one gives out free nursing bras, or pumps..

second_time_mommy7

I think its great!!! You can still choose to formula feed but you will just have to purchase it yourself. I don't feel that it should ever be the hospitals responsibility to make sure your baby has formula. I'm sure they will have it available for emergency situations ie if mother abandons baby or w/e. I cannot tell you how many doctors and nurses insisted my daughter needed supplementing while I was in the hospital and she NEVER even lost any of her birth weight!

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LaFiiTz89

I think that's stupid because with my oldest I couldn't breastfeed at all and was forced to formula feed so that means my baby would starve ? I think that's dumb. Imo

EricaK22

The Hospital I had my son at does the same thing, and I think it's great. They never pushed or offered formula when I told them I wanted to breastfeed him. The 4D ultrasound place have me a ”gift” from similac a few weeks ago that had coupons, a cooler bag, breastmilk storage bottles, and 4 ready to feed formula bottles..I thought that was strange, but I took it for the cooler bag if I ever need to pump while away!

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jewel

When my daughter was born the nurses were great they help me learn how to get my daughter to latch on I had a pump they give me like 20 storage bottles it was great I did get a breastfeeding kit from enfamil and it did have formula in it along with supplaments for me to take and a cooler bag more storage bottles all in a cute blue and brown tote. I feel by taking away the formula for those who want it what will be next? Are they going to take away the diapers and replace them with cloth diapers? Seriously its sad that the treatment is changing.

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jewel

@homebirthadvocate
I didn't know that I had to jump threw hoops to get my free formula lol I had to sign up online and print out the coupons to have my hospital release the free formula

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natashalynn

@mama_kat ah my misunderstanding. Apologies. I'm in Canada and @homebirthadvocate is right, its different here. There were no bags of free formula for me, not that I wanted them, but had formula to give in hospital to mothers who chose to do so. All of my nurses were very supportive of me breast feeding, I had multiple people show me how to do it which was awesome, since my boobs are large, not all positions worked for me, plus ny boob suffocated her unless I pushed it down lol.

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cheryl74

I think that's awful. I can't bf due to a bilateral mastectomy, what about the women who have no choice in the matter. If I could bf I would. I fed my first 2 before I had the op and felt like an absolute failure that I couldn't do the same for Florence.

natashalynn

@mama_kat you said it, not me!! Haha jk jk. I've always thought if we took the good parts from the states and the good parts of Canada, it'd make a pretty impressive society/country/government/economy!

JoshnEviesmum

at my hospital, we had to bring our own formula, its not unusual over here, they try to encourage bf and even though medical reasons said i couldnt, i had to buy my own formula for Evie.

G&EsMama

Its the insurance that pays for the formula when baby is in the hospital the insurance that we( my husband and myself) pay for they don't make the moms starve or pay for the meals out of pocket that they are given when they are in the hospital bc insurance covers it. So technically you are already paying for it with insurance its included in the hospital stay. I think it should be up to the moms on what they want to do.

G&EsMama

@blessedtxmom it must be different hospital to hospital but that sounds nice!