Take formula to hospital?

Summergurl

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I won't be breastfeeding so I'm wondering if I need to take bottles and formula into hospital with me? Obviously this will take up quite a bit of space in the hospital bag & I'll need to sterilise the bottles each day and hope I remember to take them :rofl:
 
Yeah I think you do have to take formula with you these days, buy the ready made cartons though that will save you so much time and space and yeah I thought these days they do teats that go straight on the cartons or something along those lines, if not just take bottles, babies only eat like 1oz I think when they are first born! xxx
 
My hospital provided formula when I had harper so I didn't use what I took. I have bought a box of ready made bottles with teats this time to put in my bag incase they don't provide it anymore but I'm sure they do as my sister had a baby in January and they provided her with formula. The boxes are only small in comparison to taking separate bottles and premade formula etc xx
 
At my hospital if you intend to formula feed from day 1 you have to take your own
 
My hospital provide bottles but not milk..... It gives details on their website. Have you looked up you maternity unit online, it might give some tips x
 
Yeah it doesn't mention anything online. I'll ask the midwife next week when I see her see what she says. Good idea that we can get the pre made ones with teats too. Thanks ladies xx
 
Id give your maternity ward a phone to check this out as it differs from hospital to hospital.

Mine supply both Cow and Gate and the SMA disposable bottles/teats.

Failing that you could bring in some cartons and a couple bottles - Jackson only had an oz here and there so you wont need like gallons of it!

xxxx
 
The hospital will only provide formula I'd you intend on bf but medically baby needs formula I. E top up as jaundice. Not sure on bottles though you could call your maternity unit and ask.
That was my hospitals policy.
 
Isn't it weird how all hospitals have different policies yet they're all NHS?! Seems strange. If the midwife doesn't know next week, although I would hope she would, I'll call them and ask to be sure. May just get a couple of the ready made ones anyways. Xx
 
Yeah I agree it is so weird but it must be to do with budgeting and stuff in different areas I reckon! xx
 
Hospitals that are Baby Friendly accredited or working towards UNICEFs BFI status cannot routinely provide free formula as it undermines breastfeeding. They will have some for emergency situations but otherwise they would ask you to bring your own if you intend to formula feed.

Also most BFI hospitals tend to want you to take in the powder so they can make sure you know how to make the bottle up properly before you get discharged.
 
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There's details about BFI and what it means or the rules set out for hospitals etc on the UNICEF page if you google it :)

Pretty sure that's why many hospitals don't have the free bottles anymore, because one of the 'rules' for BFI status is no promotion of formula or dummies anywhere on site.
I know a few years back my local hospital was working towards being BFI accredited, not sure if they are or are still 'working towards' but now in their literature about the maternity bit they say if you are planning to bottlefeed you need to bring your own bottles and powder.

Personally I would prefer the ready made stuff as it is actually safer for newborns as it's pasturised so zero risk of bacteria contamination etc. But I know they want parents to bring the powder as that is what parents end up using and they want to make sure the bottles are being made up properly.
 
Oh bugger faffing about with powder in the wards though!

I too would prefer the ready made stuff, pour and go.

xxxxx
 
I do remember something about this at our hospital - I breastfed my daughter so never really had to worry about things like this - I was born in texas in 1990 and my mum said they automatically give babies a dummy and a bottle without even asking the mum! So I wonder if it has changed over there in the last 26 years lol
 
When I had my son I was told to take liquid formula, but they provided single use bottles x
 
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I defo won't be packing a tin of formula plus bottles enough for a day and nights stay! X
 
I have packed 2 bottles of liquid formula they have about 1L in them but once opened they have to be used within a certain amount of time. I might be in for a few days though. The ones people have mentioned where you can add a teat are handy too, but I have 2 babies to buy for so was doing the cheaper option lol x
 
Well I found out last night at my antenatal class there is no need for me to take bottles or formula into hospital as our hospital supplies it. They have cow & gate & aptimel so if I want a different brand then I'm to take it in. Handy to know :)
 

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