I was refused food in hospital because I was formula feeding my baby

When Sophie Price’s daughter was in intensive care, the new mum didn’t leave her side.

At just five-days old, baby Florence was fighting multiple infections, and needed a machine to help her breathe.

While Sophie says her daughter received ‘absolutely incredible’ care at Grange University NHS Hospital, in Cwmbran, when the new mum — who had just experienced a traumatic birth — asked for a sandwich for herself, she was denied.

Sophie had shared with staff that she was formula feeding her newborn rather than breastfeeding, and therefore she would not be fed.

When Metro approached the NHS Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which represents Grange University Hospital, a spokesperson said meals are usually provided to breastfeeding mothers ‘because this directly supports their baby’s feeding and nutrition’.

For babies who are formula fed, formula is provided as needed — therefore, mothers are not fed.

Sophie, 22, who is married to husband Ryli, 23, tells Metro: ‘It made me feel like an awful mother because I couldn’t breastfeed. I felt discriminated against.

‘We spent over £1,000 during the three weeks Florence was in intensive care. That was just on sending Ryli to the canteen or family members bringing us food after work.

‘Not once, out of all the times that I told staff I was starving, that I was about to pass out, or that I was waiting on family to finish work to bring me food, was I ever told I could have anything.’

Sophie says has now launched a petition to try and enact change.

Screaming for help

Baby Florence, was born on March 14, 2026. During childbirth, Sophie suffered two dislocated hips, and experienced hyperstimulation — when contractions are back to back, with little or not break.

Shortly after she was born, Florence was diagnosed with jaundice. The condition meant she struggled to latch, forcing Sophie to switch to formula milk.

Three days later, Sophie and Ryli took their baby home, but Florence’s condition deteriorated.

Less than 24 hours later, Florence made a noise they describe as a ‘death rattle’, and rushed back to A&E.

‘She couldn’t catch her breath and by the time we got to hospital she had turned gray,’ Sophie says.

‘I remember running into the child’s A&E and screaming for help.’

At hospital, Florence was diagnosed with bronchiolitis, rhinitis, and a blood infection.

Sophie continues: ‘Florence’s oxygen levels were at 70. For context, a healthy baby should be above 92.

‘We were rushed down to the high intensity pediatric zone for babies, where Florence was put on a CPAP machine.

‘She had a mask covering her face and wires all over her body. They also inserted a tube down into her stomach because she couldn’t be fed with a bottle.’

It became clear that Sophie and Ryli would need to stay by their daughter’s side 24/7: ‘If Florence ever moved her head, the oxygen mask would fall off and her oxygen levels would dramatically drop.’

Sophie says it was on her second day in hospital with Florence, having had no sleep, ‘pale as a ghost’, and in a ‘bad state of mind’, that she saw a member of staff with a food trolley.

While Sophie was initially offered food, when she revealed that she was formula-feeding Florence, that changed.

Sophie says: ‘She all of a sudden said: “Oh sorry, you’re not entitled to food then”. She walked away and shut the door.’

At the time, Sophie was experiencing postpartum bleeding, swollen feet, and in terrible pain.

‘My feet were so swollen that I couldn’t even made it to the end of the corridor on my own,’ Sophie shares.

In those three weeks, Sophie only left Florence’s side once, to be examined herself after nurses were concerned she may have preeclampsia.

She tells Metro that she asked the nurses for food multiple times, but was denied on every occasion.

With doctors suggesting Florence may need to be put into an induced coma, Sophie ‘would’ve rather starved’ than leave her side.

‘One of the nurses was so kind that she offered to run to the staff room to get me a cup of tea and a biscuit. It was so sad that it felt as though she had to keep it a secret.’

Ultimately, Ryli was forced to ask his employers to extend his paternity leave so he could make sure Sophie was fed.

By the time Sophie and Ryli were able to take Florence home, they’d been financially impacted by the hospital’s policy, spending over £1,000 on food.

What are the official NHS guidelines?

While hospital rules vary depending, official NHS guidelines indicate that meals are only provided for patients and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.

When approached by Metro, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board shared the following comment.

‘We are sorry to hear about Sophie’s experience while staying with her child at The Grange University Hospital.

‘We would like to thank her for taking the time to share her feedback and for her kind comments about the excellent care her baby received from our staff.

‘We understand how difficult and stressful it can be for parents when their child is in hospital.

‘Where individuals are unable to access the hospital canteen, have limited family or social support, or are unable to leave their child’s bedside, wards can provide a small selection of basic food items and refreshments to help meet immediate needs.

‘In our paediatric unit, meals are usually provided to breastfeeding mothers because this directly supports their baby’s feeding and nutrition. For babies who are formula fed, formula is provided as needed.

‘Although this is our Standard Operating Procedure, ward teams can also look at individual circumstances and offer additional support where appropriate.

‘In our maternity wards, mothers are patients in their own right and therefore receive meals as part of their care — whether breastfeeding or not.

‘We also recognise that some families may face additional challenges during a child’s admission. Where parents are unable to access the hospital canteen, have limited support, or are unable to leave their child’s bedside, ward teams can provide a selection of basic food items and refreshments to help meet immediate needs.

‘Parents can also access a discounted hospital meal through a ward voucher scheme and where a family is experiencing financial hardship, support can be discussed with the ward team.

‘Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure help is provided fairly and appropriately, taking account of the family’s circumstances and the needs of the child.

‘We are committed to supporting families throughout their child’s stay and encourage anyone experiencing difficulties to speak to the ward team so that appropriate support can be explored.’

The NHS has no choice but to save money somehow

NHS services in Wales continue to face significant financial difficulties.

At the end of last year, a digital audit of NHS Wales found that all seven of the country’s health boards breached their ‘statutory duty to break even’.

Keep Our NHS (KONP) public is a campaign dedicated to defending and rebuilding the NHS as a publicly funded service, free to all at the point of use.

Dr John Puntis, co-chair of KONP and and retired consultant pediatrician, tells Metro that ‘hospitals have a duty of care to parents of sick children.’

He continues: ‘Clearly making availability of meals dependent on the type of milk being fed to the infant is an unacceptable approach to the laudable aim of promoting breast feeding.’

However, he adds: ‘Unfortunately financial pressures imposed on hospitals are forcing savings to be squeezed out of many different patient services, inevitably leading to reduction in quality of care.”

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk

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