A Christchurch mother was left hungry while her baby was in hospital - because she doesn't breastfeed.
Rangiora mum Rachel Cameron's four month old son spent last week in Christchurch Hospital with bronchiolitis.
Cameron says she had to stay with her son at all times because of how young he was.
She says she became puzzled when she was never offered any food.
"After being hungry for a long time, I asked the nurse why I wasn't getting fed, and her response was that I don't breastfeed so I don't get feed. I felt it was a bit of discrimination."
Cameron feels that this isn't fair.
"My son had trouble latching on, so that's why we couldn't breastfeed. They don't even ask you the question. Kids who are in hospital that are being breast-fed need to have their mother and should be fed, but what about the other mums who aren't allowed to leave their child."Â
A Canterbury District Health Board spokesman says this is standard practice in many parts of New Zealand.
He says they have a duty of care to provide food for breastfeeding mothers as the patient's main food source - and other parents can pay $5 to receive a meal too.
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