Baby friendly hospitals

[cnf2013]

Hospitals don't give pacifiers? We got a bunch from ours.

[peggels24]

I didn't know this existed either.

[peggels24]

I didn't take advantage of the nursery with DD because I wanted her with me. With this baby, I definitely plan on handing off to the nurses before bed. Especially if I have a repeat c-section and I'm there for four days.

[grumpycat88]

Hmmm I like pro mom and baby hospitals. So if mom wants to FF, great! If mom wants to BF, great! Here are resources and support to do either! I'm pro whatever helps you recover, is in the best interest of your mental health, and keeps your baby as happy as they can be given the ordeal they've just gone through.

They encourage baby in the room and breastfeeding at our hospital. They do have formula, pacifiers, and a nursery available though. Our nurse suggested DS going to the nursery for a few hours so I could sleep. BFing turned out to be super stressful for us and I was so tired/needed a break. It was a wonderful 2.5 hours of sleep.

Tl; dr I wouldn't deliver at a strictly "baby friendly" hospital. If that's your thing, cool, but not for me.

[Deleted]

Baby-friendly hospitals have always given me a Mom-unfriendly vibe. Given the choice, I would prefer not to deliver at one. Granted, I plan to FF, give a paci, and take advantage of a nursery if needed.

[bethkate]

I'm not aware of any baby friendly hospitals here, but all of the local hospitals have gotten rid of their nurseries in recent years.

[cnf2013]

Yeah, no that was not my hospital. They gave use pacifiers, formula while DD struggled with blood sugars and couldn't latch, and she did a bit of out of room time. I liked our hospital, very go with the flow to help new mom and baby adjust to a new life together.

[Deleted]

Our hospital does not have a nursery. Baby rooms-in. I will say I had a horrible experience with DS even though the hospital is "baby-friendly". By 12 hours they were pushing formula on us because he was so sleepy and wasn't feeding well. They have NO LC and half the maternity nurses wouldn't know a good latch if it bit them in the ass.

[beefinch]

The hospital I had DS at (and will this one) was very go with the flow, and whatever the parents decided went really. I didn't have a dummy for DS, as I never wanted him to have one. The nurses were amazing in helping me breast feed, I had to stay in for 6 days and I made the most of them helping me, if DS popped off and wouldn't latch on right I would call them, and they were happy to help. They let you do your own thing, with gentle guidance. For example one nurse noticed my milk hadn't come in on late day 2, and she said this "C is ready for steak and chips but right now you only have a starter for him, he is just getting soup and he wants and needs a lot more" I thought that was great way of putting it rather than just saying "your milk hasn't come in and C wants more" so I combi feed him. They had all the bottles, a pump, everything. They also had a nursery but I didn't want C out of my sight, and they didn't encourage separation anyway. It was only for example when you have just had the baby, and can't even keep your eyes open so they watch the baby until they want their first feed, and they wake you up.

[twotxmommies]

I delivered at the hospital I work at. We encourage rooming in with mom, but have a nursery. It was a great experience. I will delivery there again this time.

[spacedcadet]

I delivered at a baby friendly hospital with DS. I will deliver there again because that is where my OB delivers. I did get a little frustrated because I was having some issues with my milk coming in and all they kept telling me was to keep trying so I was dealing with a crying, hungry newborn as a FTM who had no clue what she was doing. They didn't offer any formula to supplement with until DS tested with elevated levels for jaundice.

In general, I liked it there but I didn't know what to expect as far as differences with other hospitals.

[grumpycat88]

Apr 24, 2017 13:58:32 GMT -5 spacedcadet said:

I delivered at a baby friendly hospital with DS. I will deliver there again because that is where my OB delivers. I did get a little frustrated because I was having some issues with my milk coming in and all they kept telling me was to keep trying so I was dealing with a crying, hungry newborn as a FTM who had no clue what she was doing. They didn't offer any formula to supplement with until DS tested with elevated levels for jaundice.

In general, I liked it there but I didn't know what to expect as far as differences with other hospitals.

Did they offer a breast pump? Is that not baby-friendly though because it's delivered through a syringe/bottle? 

I'm so sorry you had that experience. We struggled with BFing too and I spent like two hours crying after one of the night nurses straight up was like "your baby is starving" (she quickly realized her response was not warranted and tried to help me, eventually got me pumping so DS could go to the nursery for a bit so I could relax) ... I have her name on a post-it so she will not be coming NEAR me with #2. 

[spacedcadet]

Apr 24, 2017 14:30:14 GMT -5 grumpycat88 said:

Apr 24, 2017 13:58:32 GMT -5 spacedcadet said:

I delivered at a baby friendly hospital with DS. I will deliver there again because that is where my OB delivers. I did get a little frustrated because I was having some issues with my milk coming in and all they kept telling me was to keep trying so I was dealing with a crying, hungry newborn as a FTM who had no clue what she was doing. They didn't offer any formula to supplement with until DS tested with elevated levels for jaundice.

In general, I liked it there but I didn't know what to expect as far as differences with other hospitals.

Did they offer a breast pump? Is that not baby-friendly though because it's delivered through a syringe/bottle? 

I'm so sorry you had that experience. We struggled with BFing too and I spent like two hours crying after one of the night nurses straight up was like "your baby is starving" (she quickly realized her response was not warranted and tried to help me, eventually got me pumping so DS could go to the nursery for a bit so I could relax) ... I have her name on a post-it so she will not be coming NEAR me with #2. 

No breast pump.  They actually recommended not using bottles or pacifiers etc for the first four weeks to prevent nipple confusion.  When they finally gave me some formula they told me to feed it to him with a syringe.  While I knew that seemed a bit silly, I did go along with it because I really wanted to try BFing.  I just remember telling the nurses over and over that he wasn't getting anything and them assuring me that he was.  I still call BS on it but it's ok.  It was just part of the whole overwhelming, FTM, no experience with babies feelings.

[jax1182014]

The hospital I delivered at did not have pacifiers but DD never took to them anyway so I didn't mind. They just say to bring your own if you want them.

[Deleted]

I mentioned baby friendly practices to my husband at dinner because two of our local hospitals are going in that directing. He had apparently never heard of it, so he did about an hour's worth of research​ and is currently​ bubbling over with outrage. He's practically Goldbluming. It's sort of sweet, in a crazy way.

[grumpycat88]

Apr 26, 2017 19:11:16 GMT -5 @annperkins said:

I mentioned baby friendly practices to my husband at dinner because two of our local hospitals are going in that directing. He had apparently never heard of it, so he did about an hour's worth of research​ and is currently​ bubbling over with outrage. He's practically Goldbluming. It's sort of sweet, in a crazy way.

To be fair, I didn't know this was a thing either until TCF lol.

[grumpycat88]

I really appreciate this article about baby friendly hospitals: www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2016/02/25/baby_friendly_hospitals_may_not_be_so_baby_friendly_after_all.html

I like a happy medium

[grumpycat88]

Apr 26, 2017 20:53:17 GMT -5 Miss Killjoy said:

Well GOOD GOD, if anyone is inclined to binge watch Outlander, just don't. Don't. I just watched the episode in second season called "Faith" and I am a god damn wreck. Should not have.

Yea .... I could have warned you about that. Good book series though.

Eta you may want to skip the episode after it too. I THINK it was all about the aftermath.

[cnf2013]

I also struggling with breastfeeding. DD had latch issues because she was so tiny and her mouth was too little. I had supply issues despite starting to pump day one after she was born. We had to supplement in the hospital due to blood sugar issues. I nursed and pumped as much as I could, but by 4.5m pp I was barely getting an ounce between both sides. She went on a nursing strike so I threw in the towel. Only like 1/4 of her intake at that point was even breast milk. Then I had about a 2 week supply in the freezer. I'm really hoping so hard that I can more this time around.

[grumpycat88]

I switched to EPing after 1 week. I pumped until he was 5.5 months then we switched to formula. I loathed pumping (so serious props Miss Killjoy for not minding it!). It was making me crazy and pushing me close to PPD. I didn't realize how it was making me feel until I stopped and realized how unhappy I was. Also, we quickly realized that DS did not like BM that was frozen ... so that was fun. We supplemented with formula because I couldn't always keep up with him and wasn't willing to pump in the middle of the night.

I do have to say that I did learn a lot about breastfeeding through the whole process and do feel more prepared this time around. I plan to request an LC as soon as they move us to the mother and baby room. DS latched immediately at birth but was lazy and very sleepy. I was even thinking of getting a postpartum doula who specializes in breastfeeding, but haven't decided yet.

[cnf2013]

grumpycat88, I am very anti pumping in the middle of the might too, which probably didn't help my issues. I only pumped at night if E woke up. I'd feed her then pump after she went back to sleep. She started sleeping through the night around 3m so I stopped getting up. If this one magically STTN early too I might make a point to get myself up just once at night.