Nursery nurses....what do you think about this?

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

Hi All,

When I was in the nursery this past semester there was one nursery nurse that would round on her babies to find out how much they ate. If the baby was breast fed and the mom didn't breast feed the baby a certain amount of time (I think it was 15 minutes per side), the nurse would take the baby to the nursery and give them a formula bottle without telling the mother. Does that kind of thing normally occur? If so, how often do you end up doing things like that? She was the only nurse I ever saw do this.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Linda

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

No, that never happened where I worked unless it was the middle of the night and the baby came back to the nursery fussy (obviously still hungry) and then the only reason was to let Mom sleep.

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Hi All,

When I was in the nursery this past semester there was one nursery nurse that would round on her babies to find out how much they ate. If the baby was breast fed and the mom didn't breast feed the baby a certain amount of time (I think it was 15 minutes per side), the nurse would take the baby to the nursery and give them a formula bottle without telling the mother. Does that kind of thing normally occur? If so, how often do you end up doing things like that? She was the only nurse I ever saw do this.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Linda

Breast fed babies are only bottle fed, if mom requests it. Otherwise they dine at the breastaurant! Some nurses are more into advocating exclusive breastfeeding than others. Some moms are more committed to exclusive breastfeeding than others. It is mom's decision, not ours on how and when baby is to be fed. We are just there to help and educate. There are not legions of formula fairies out there ready to slip in a bottle at every turn

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...There are not legions of formula fairies out there ready to slip in a bottle at every turn

Yes. I must agree. These days, nurses like this are few.

At our hospital, this might happen more with babies of moms who don't really care, but for the mom's who make it clear they are 'breast only', their babies never get bottles unless they request or doc orders (low glucose, etc.).

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What is her rationale???

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

We still have quite a few that will do this.

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.
Breast fed babies are only bottle fed, if mom requests it. Otherwise they dine at the breastaurant!

:lol2::lol2::lol2:LOVE THAT!!!!:lol2::lol2::lol2:

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Oh no.. that is not at all common!!!!

We actually believe our lactation consultants are more like mafia mob bosses... it is all about that breast!

We encourage breast feeding.

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Specializes in OB L&D Mother/Baby.

We do have a few nurses that were supplementing without consent on the night shift when the moms would send the babies back to the nursery screaming after they had already nursed. Now we don't (or aren't supposed to be) supplement without written permission from the mother... but then again we do have an occasion mom that comes in saying they are "breast/bottle feeding" and they do that fine without a problem (I think it's a cultural thing).

When I delivered my first baby he was 10lb4oz, I was nursing and only later did I learn that one of the nurses had been cup feeding him water on her own and did not even mention it to me... one of the other nurses let it slip out in report... but the cup feeder thought he was "starving" and decided to do what she wanted. She was working with me until recently so I'm sure that she was one of those ones that was a supplementing without consent or order for 30yrs!!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Feeding formula to babies with no medical indication or parental permission is unethical and where I work, could be grounds for termination if not stopped.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

We don't supplement unless MD orders it or mom wants it. Sometimes if baby is jaundiced & shows signs of dehydration, we talk with mom about the option of supplementing but until MD orders it, the choice is hers and we make that clear. We don't give formula by bottle, cup, or syringe unless MD orders/mom requests, and we don't give out pacifiers, period. Whether or not it's hospital policy (it is where I am and should be everywhere), it's just the right thing to do, asking Mom's permission before doing something that affects her baby.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Nursery, Post-Partum.

Its our policy to not give breastfed babies formula or water of any type without mom's okay. No pacifers either...technically we aren't even supposed to offer, mom has to ask. I know some nurses who will give some sugar water to out of control babies, either by dipping a gloved finger in it and letting baby suck the finger, dipping gauze in and letting baby suck the gauze, or some of them just put a nipple on the bottle and let the baby have it like that. Most of the nurses I work with will just take the baby back to mom though, its usually just the more experienced nurses who give the water. I haven't seen anyone give formula without permission though, thank goodness.

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