A first-time mum was denied hospital meals while her baby was "fighting for her life" because she was not breastfeeding. Sophie Price, 22, was "shocked" when staff refused to give her a meal while her daughter Florence was being treated on a paediatric ward at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Torfaen. Despite giving birth in the hospital five days earlier, she was told she was no longer classed as a patient as she was not breastfeeding, so she would not be provided with meals.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said it was "sorry to hear about Sophie's experience" and was "committed to supporting families throughout their child's stay". "It was just an awful experience. I just needed a hot meal to keep going for my daughter," said Sophie, from Newport.
Her family said they spent more than £1,000 on food from the canteen and takeaway meals during their three-week stay at the hospital while Florence was treated. The health board said mothers are provided with meals while under the care of hospital maternity services as both them and their baby are classed as patients, whether they are breastfeeding or not. But on paediatric wards, only the child is classed as the patient, however the hospital's policy is to provide breastfeeding mums with meals as this directly supports the baby's feeding and nutrition.
For babies who are formula-fed, the health board said formula was "provided as needed" by the hospital, but Sophie said she was told she would need to bring it in herself. Sophie had only left the hospital - which earlier this week denied online claims it was "dangerous" and "dreadful" - for 24 hours before she and her husband Ryli Price had to return when they realised Florence was not able to breathe and the "colour started to drain from her". "Florence started to make some really harsh grunting sounds, it sounded like a death rattle coming from her chest up into her mouth," she said.
Sophie ran into the A&E department screaming "she's not breathing" and credited the quick response of medical staff who helped save her daughter's life. Florence was diagnosed with bronchiolitis, external, rhinoviruses - which causes the common cold, external - and a blood infection, which meant her lungs could not operate on their own. She was placed on a machine that pumped air into her lungs via a mask.
Sophie said despite being "hungry and exhausted" she was denied a meal while her daughter was "in intensive care fighting for her life". "Imagine being in a hospital with your seriously ill baby on breathing support monitors, overwhelmed with worry, anxiety and stress, only to be told you aren't entitled to a meal because you're formula feeding instead of breastfeeding," she said. Sophie said she was bleeding through her clothes and "in a lot of pain" as her hips had to be put back in place after being dislocated during childbirth.
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