This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Rejected petition Stop infant formula samples and "top up's" being given to new mums in hospital
when women give birth, they immediately begin a new and crucial journey into breastfeeding. The NHS and the WHO state breastfeeding is recommended. Yet only a third of UK babies receive milk from their mother. This is because we are offered formula in maternity wards as "top up". This needs to stop
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it is so damaging to a fledgling relationship between mother and Nursling. Midwives and HCAs offer "shall we give them a little topup? Would you like SMA or C&G?". From day 1 you are given the impression your body can't possibly produce enough. Then, over time, because these topups get in the way of the delecate supply and demand relationship, the mothers milk really does reduce. By week 2 most mums give up completely. Formula companies win. Babies lose out. Depression is up. So is obesity....
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not directly responsible for.
Deciding whether or not to provide formula milk to new mothers is a matter for individual NHS trusts, not the Government or House of Commons.
If you want maternity wards in your area to stop offering formula milk to new mothers you should contact your local NHS trust about this.
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.