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Hospital refused to feed breastfeeding Aussie mum

As if the stress and worry of having a sick child in hospital wasn’t enough, one Melbourne dad has hit out after his breastfeeding wife was denied food as she sat at the bedside of their four-month-old.

Monash councillor Stuart James and his wife Donna saw their baby daughter Zoe spend three days at Monash Children’s Hospital while she battled the flu and an ear infection.

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With Donna breastfeeding and determined to stay by her daughter’s bedside, the family were left upset when hospital staffers said they didn’t provide food for mothers.

The family were left to find alternatives when the hospital refused to feed Donna. Photo: Facebook
The family were left to find alternatives when the hospital refused to feed Donna. Photo: Facebook

It was left up to Donna’s parents to come in twice a day with food so the mum could stay with her daughter.

“It was an extremely emotionally upsetting time for our family and it was disappointing that she was refused food and it was an added stress,” councillor Stuart told the Herald Sun.

'Those times when life pulls you up and provides a little bit of perspective,' dad Stuart captioned this snap. Photo: Facebook
'Those times when life pulls you up and provides a little bit of perspective,' dad Stuart captioned this snap. Photo: Facebook

“My in-laws went in twice each day with food because no mother is going to leave their four-month-old by herself during a time like this.”

Councillor Stuart, who is also dad to two-year-old daughter April, reveals the family have since received an apology from the hospital’s chief operating officer, who acknowledged mothers should be given food in this situation.

Stuart and Donna welcomed baby Zoe four months ago, only to have her recently hospitalised for the flu. Photo: Facebook
Stuart and Donna welcomed baby Zoe four months ago, only to have her recently hospitalised for the flu. Photo: Facebook

“We’ve spoken to the patient’s family and apologised as we didn’t meet their expectations, or our own, on this occasion,” Monash Health spokesman Shane Butler told the Herald Sun.

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