New mum “refused food” over controversial breastfeeding rule
A new mother of twins was left reeling after not being offered lunch while her child was sick in hospital.
The 37-year-old woman gave birth to her children who had jaundice and was required to express more breast milk.
No matter how hard she tried, the Sydney mother just could not express enough milk for her newborns.
And with twins she knew it was “going to be hell” so she opted for formula to ensure her children were satisfied.
“I wanted to breastfeed so much…I even tried to express and there was nothing. I just couldn’t and I thought ‘I can’t keep doing this – it’s going to be hell with twins’,” she told Kidspot.
Three months later on February 12, the mother was overwhelmed when one of her twins’ temperature soared to 40C from a UTI infection.
The mother rushed her baby to Campbelltown Hospital where she was then admitted to the paediatric ward.
After conducting a series of tests, the worried mother waited anxiously for her results in the same room with another mother who was breastfeeding.
It was then she noticed that the other woman was given food off the trolley and she was completely ignored.
“I saw the food trolley go right past our bed and up and down the hallway, and it never stopped for me, so I thought to myself, ‘What’s going on?’ Why is she not asking me? Does she not know I’m here?’”
Not wanting to cause a problem, the mother opted for some muesli bars she had in her handbag and eventually fell asleep.
The next morning, the mother missed breakfast after sleeping in and decided it was time to say something after not being given lunch, dinner and breakfast.
She approached the front desk and questioned why she was not offered food in the 24 hours she was admitted into hospital.
The mother claims the nurse was embarrassed after saying it was because she was not breastfeeding.
“They only give food if you’re breastfeeding. That’s the rule,” the nurse said.
The nurse eventually came back and apologised and gave her a sandwich, but it was then she realised her child was admitted under private health.
The mother once again confronted the nurse who said it was an “old rule” and nothing could be done to change it.
Eventually, her husband arrived to look after their daughter while she went back home to care for the son. He was also not offered any dinner.
He was given a sandwich and some crackers.
The mother said she felt “shamed” for her decision to opt for formula as she was already struggling with the twins.
She insists that if in the near future they needed a hospital that the family would not go to Campbelltown Hospital.
The hospital issued a statement following the incident insisting that all parents are offered food during their stay.
“The hospital offers sandwiches to all parents during lunch and dinner periods. Sandwiches are also stored in the unit’s refrigerator for use between or after meal times.”
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