Mums sent home from hospital with no support and unable to feed newborn babies

Detailed summary

EXCLUSIVE: We've spoken to several women who say they were discharged without knowing how to breastfeed - after the temporary closure of North Devon's maternity unit

Women impacted by the Devon maternity scandal say they're being send home from hospital without any help to breastfeed their newborn babies.

Birthing services at Barnstaple’s North Devon District Hospital were suspended in August due to staff shortages, leaving women to make the gruelling two-hour-long drive to Exeter to have their babies. Three months on, the Mirror has learnt some mums are being discharged before being taught how to breastfeed independently.

Under NHS guidelines, healthcare professionals must complete a formal breastfeeding assessment before a mother and baby can leave hospital. This is used to confirm the baby is attaching and positioning effectively at the breast, the mum can recognise the signs of effective feeding, and the baby is showing clear indicators of adequate milk intake.

But we’ve spoken to several women who say they were left traumatised after being sent…

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