Diaper Swappers

starwithnolight · 06-26-2006, 08:34 AM

I had my first at a freestanding birth center. We had to go home within 14 hours of delivering and it was required the baby ate before we could leave. Well, my son wouldn't latch on so one of the nurses ended up shoving a bottle in his mouth and he never ended up breastfeeding (I pumped for 3-4 weeks before giving up

)

I then had my daughter a birth center in a hospital (midwife delivered her). Suprisingly, they seemed much more supportive with brestfeeding. My daughter who was preemie wouldn't latch on but instead of giving her a bottle they gave me this spoon feeder type thing (forget what it's call, Medela makes it) and then by the time she was 3 days old I had her nursing.

I just never thought I'd have a better experience at a hospital birthing center vs freestanding birth center.

Anyway, to answer your question. No, they can't FORCE you to give the baby a bottle. But some places really push it. I guess some people think that if you can't nurse within the first TWO HOURS you'r enever going to be able to :-/

starwithnolight · 06-26-2006, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CottonMamma

OH MY! That's just BS!!!

This last time the hospital was great... they aren't even supported by a formula company and are so pro BF. But the last hospital where I had DS#1! OH NO they were always trying to "guilt" us into formula feeding.

When my DS was a few days old we took him to the ER because his jaundice was looking pretty bad. Like I said in my previous post my son wasn't nursing. The lactation consultant I talked to recommend feeding him his EBM/formula with a medicine dropper instead of a bottle so he wouldn't get nipple confusion and I still had achance to nurse.

Well, their was a nurse at the hospital and she saw me feeding him with a medicine dropper and she says something along the lines "I think it's cruel to feed a baby that way!" and then she ran and got him a bottle. I felt so bad...

zonapellucida · 06-26-2006, 09:26 AM

That is just WRONG!!!!!

MyLil'Mountaineers · 06-26-2006, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommypooh

It is in ohio. it is somewhere in or near Stubenville. I don't know the name. I am actually closer to the girls middle sister and have never met teh youngest. I plan to buy all kinds of books and other educational material as well as make a list of great on line resources and such to hlep them. I just hope they move away from there and to somewhere that is somewhat supportive of BF.

I live in WV right outside of Steubenville, OH. I have had a baby at both of the hospitals around steubenville that has a birthing center. Both of the hospitals have room-in for the babies. One of the hospitals only does room-ins and the babies never spend any time in the nursery except for weighings and check-ups.

Both of these hospitals, I feel, force breastfeeding so I think your sister or cousin or whoever it is, is full of crap. I have a disease that wouldn't allow for me to breastfeed

(yes, some of us have a valid reason for not breastfeeding) and they had to be reminded at every feeding that I couldn't breastfeed. So, it's not the hospital. There also hasn't been a baby die here from someone not feeding it. That's ridiculous!!!

Just wanted to point out that we also live 25 minutes from Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh (one of the best in the world) and all of the hospitals here are sister hospitals to either Children's in Pittsburgh or Columbus. I really doubt that they would do anything to jeopardize their connection with either hospital. Both of the hospitals with birthing centers here are absolutely wonderful!!!!

*~Mindy~* · 06-26-2006, 05:16 PM

no they cant do that, though i know they do. my mom said NO BOTTLES for my brother, and she had a c section, before she even saw him hed had a bottle of sugar water and one and a half of similac already. she ended up having to "supplement" - he ate like tons of formula PLUS nursing a lot everyday :shock: but i think that and a few other times screwed up her bfing at the beginning

and read the articles, ONE bottle of formula completely changes the bacteria, etc in the gut anmong other things....too wrong on so many levels!!

bobandjess99 · 06-26-2006, 06:34 PM

YES they can.

Basically, once you are at a hospital, they can make you do anything they want, if it is in regards to a minor. All they have to do is pull the CPS/court order card. "Technically" you can refuse stuff...but in reality..NO, YOU CAN NOT.

A friend of mine recently had a baby here. Baby was hypoglycemic, wasn't nursing well....friend was determined to nurse (very alternative, completely educated, knew her rights, stood her ground, had an unmedicated labor with a midwife, no interventions, successfully refused all "routine" procedures, eye drops, etc.)....Well, after a certain time, and the blood tests still showing hypoglycemia, it became..."certainly, you have the right to refuse to give her formula. You just continue to do that for 5 minutes while we call the judge and get the order, we will then take the child away from you to the nursery, give her any and all testing we want feed her the formula, and you can deal with CPS for the next 6 months to get her back. OR, YOU GIVE HER THE FORMULA RIGHT NOW.

Geez, wonder what she chose to do?

thefragile7393 · 06-30-2006, 12:34 AM

No. Patients have the right to refuse any treatment that they do not want, includeing have the right to refuse treatment or certain things for their children. If they want to get technical about it, they can look in their own code of ethics (Patient's Bill of Rights) that every hospital has. A parent has the right to also switch hospitals, doctors, whatever. That dosn't mean they won't try and pull the CPS card or try and bully or threaten to get their way. Sometimes getting a lawyer involved or their ethics committee involved can help.

You say your friend now thinks bf'ing is gross? Honestly I'm not to sure about that....I think she feels more guilt and anger at the situation and maybe at herself.

I'd love for them to try that on me. After working in the medical field for a number of years and seeing the BS that hospitals and medical professionals can pull (and after having it happen to me, although in a much more minor situation) I am very very pro-patient and pro-parent rights.

hauser · 06-30-2006, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittykorat

hospitals often push formula, but if anyone told me I HAD to give my son formula- I think I would cause a serious ruckus, call the LLL, schedule a nurse in, call the papers, etc.

When my sisters third got jaundice they told her she had to stop bfing him and give him formula. they said they would give her a pump to use. Well, he was a week old so he probably would not have gone back to the brest after that kwim. Well, she called me and I drove my happy butt up to the hospital handed them a stack of papers showing how BFing sould be incresed with jaundice and not stopped and threatened to call LLL. Needless to say they didn't ask her to give him anymore bottles. Actually they brought in a bigger machine that could go over both of them when he was nursing. He was released two days later!!

momof4 · 06-30-2006, 03:40 AM

Great story! Way to go!

06-26-2006, 08:34 AM	#21
starwithnolight Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Topton, pa Posts: 136 Ratings: 28 Feedback: 100%	Re: Can a Hospital force you to give a bottle? I had my first at a freestanding birth center. We had to go home within 14 hours of delivering and it was required the baby ate before we could leave. Well, my son wouldn't latch on so one of the nurses ended up shoving a bottle in his mouth and he never ended up breastfeeding (I pumped for 3-4 weeks before giving up ) I then had my daughter a birth center in a hospital (midwife delivered her). Suprisingly, they seemed much more supportive with brestfeeding. My daughter who was preemie wouldn't latch on but instead of giving her a bottle they gave me this spoon feeder type thing (forget what it's call, Medela makes it) and then by the time she was 3 days old I had her nursing. I just never thought I'd have a better experience at a hospital birthing center vs freestanding birth center. Anyway, to answer your question. No, they can't FORCE you to give the baby a bottle. But some places really push it. I guess some people think that if you can't nurse within the first TWO HOURS you'r enever going to be able to :-/ __________________ Tara mama to Riley (11-7-02) and Emma (4-21-04)

06-26-2006, 09:26 AM	#23
zonapellucida Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Diligently working on getting out of the hellish state of FL Posts: 4,275 Ratings: 144 Feedback: 98% My Mood:	Re: Can a Hospital force you to give a bottle? That is just WRONG!!!!! __________________ Zona:wife to 1 mom to 10 NAKing with a keyboard sticky with coffee--spelling error zone IHA NB/SM/OS stash with a little of everything ISO OS AIOs Virtapayvirtual currency testing site --$25 credited when you sign up to be a tester.

06-26-2006, 06:34 PM	#26
bobandjess99 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern IN Posts: 1,895 Ratings: 45 Feedback: 100%	Re: Can a Hospital force you to give a bottle? YES they can. Basically, once you are at a hospital, they can make you do anything they want, if it is in regards to a minor. All they have to do is pull the CPS/court order card. "Technically" you can refuse stuff...but in reality..NO, YOU CAN NOT. A friend of mine recently had a baby here. Baby was hypoglycemic, wasn't nursing well....friend was determined to nurse (very alternative, completely educated, knew her rights, stood her ground, had an unmedicated labor with a midwife, no interventions, successfully refused all "routine" procedures, eye drops, etc.)....Well, after a certain time, and the blood tests still showing hypoglycemia, it became..."certainly, you have the right to refuse to give her formula. You just continue to do that for 5 minutes while we call the judge and get the order, we will then take the child away from you to the nursery, give her any and all testing we want feed her the formula, and you can deal with CPS for the next 6 months to get her back. OR, YOU GIVE HER THE FORMULA RIGHT NOW. Geez, wonder what she chose to do?

06-30-2006, 12:34 AM	#27
thefragile7393 Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 426 Ratings: 11 Feedback: 100%	Re: Can a Hospital force you to give a bottle? No. Patients have the right to refuse any treatment that they do not want, includeing have the right to refuse treatment or certain things for their children. If they want to get technical about it, they can look in their own code of ethics (Patient's Bill of Rights) that every hospital has. A parent has the right to also switch hospitals, doctors, whatever. That dosn't mean they won't try and pull the CPS card or try and bully or threaten to get their way. Sometimes getting a lawyer involved or their ethics committee involved can help. You say your friend now thinks bf'ing is gross? Honestly I'm not to sure about that....I think she feels more guilt and anger at the situation and maybe at herself. I'd love for them to try that on me. After working in the medical field for a number of years and seeing the BS that hospitals and medical professionals can pull (and after having it happen to me, although in a much more minor situation) I am very very pro-patient and pro-parent rights. __________________ Just me, constantly after

06-30-2006, 03:40 AM	#29
momof4 Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 710 Ratings: 70 Feedback: 100%	Re: Can a Hospital force you to give a bottle? Great story! Way to go! __________________ Linda -- proud mom of Rachel (20), Joshua (15), Elisheva (7), and Moshe (3), and 2 wonderful grown stepdaughters.