Mothers defend using their phones while breastfeeding after being ‘shamed’ by hospital
Breastfeeding mothers have criticised a hospital for placing posters in its neonatal unit that urged parents to look at their babies while feeding as opposed to their phones.
The posters, in place at Yeovil District Hospital, read: “Mummy & Daddy... Please look at ME when I am feeding, I am much more interesting than your phone!! Thank you xxxxxx”.
The poster showed a photo of a smartphone circled with a red line and a line struck through on one side, and a baby on the other side.
A photograph of the poster was shared on Twitter by the father of a newborn baby, Ash Cottrell, who tweeted: “I’m on SCBU with my five-day-old. This poster makes me sad...”
The hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit is dedicated to supporting infants who need an extra level of care, like those who have been born prematurely.
Hundreds of parents responded to Cottrell’s tweet, most of whom ardently defended the use of mobile phones while breastfeeding, particularly during hospital visits.
“Yea babies are much more interesting than our phones but we also need advice or support or connect with other people when feeling very lonely in hospital,” tweeted one person.
“Babies are super cute but not great conversationalists and the middle of the night can feel very overwhelming.”
Oh no! Awful poster. I was in SCBU with a five day old and my phone was a lifeline. I was isolated and frightened (we’d been readmitted) and my phone meant I could stay in touch with people and read up on what had happened to us. Good luck to you!
— Daisy lots of Daisies (@daisyx3)
Another concurred: “When your baby is in SCBU you have no option than to sit and look at your baby. All day. For hours.
“You can’t take them home and cuddle and snuggle and be mum. If, for some of those hours, you look at your phone to relieve the tedium of hours on the ward, nobody should tell you off.”
I don’t agree at all. Whatever gets you all through the night is fine. SCBU/NICU parenting is stressful enough, let people find connection and distraction wherever they want to. And manage their own lives. No guilt for not gazing at baby 24/7, thanks
— 𝙲𝚊𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚊 (@Catreeeena)
Yeovil Hospital has defended its posters, saying they were created by its special care baby unit and had been on display for the last few months.
“They are intended to be used only within the context of the unit, where we support mums of premature or very poorly babies in building a healthy connection,” it said in a statement given to The Times.
“They have very successfully worked as a conversation starter for our team and feedback has been very positive. Being separated from your baby is very difficult for many of our new mums and our advice is all about encouraging bonding as well as strengthening milk flow.”
