X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • Events
  • Aptamil
    • Immunity
    • Intelligence
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • VIP

Baby breastfed by wrong mum in hospital newborn mix up in Sydney

4 Nov, 2015
Baby breastfed by wrong mum in hospital newborn mix up in Sydney

One of the newborns was unintentionally handed back to the wrong mum, leaving her real mum devastated. Read the story here.

In a terrible mix up that took place in a hospital in Sydney recently, a newborn baby has been breastfed by a stranger after the identities of two newborns were bungled, according to The Sydney Morning Herald

The mix up reportedly took place at Gosford Hospital, leaving one mum terribly upset and potentially exposing the newborn to health risks.

On August 18, reports say that the newborns were taken to the nursery to let their mums, who shared a hospital room, get some rest. Unfortunately, one of the babies — Ellie — was unintentionally returned to the wrong mum.

The woman breastfed this baby girl while her own daughter was in the nursery. Reports say that “a midwife broke the news to Ellie’s mother, Stefanie Phillips, who was devastated to discover her newborn had been breastfed by a stranger.”

Stefanie told Seven News, “[I was told] the other mother has breastfed your daughter for two hours and got photos with her … skin-on-skin, did everything I wanted to do with her.”

sydney baby mix up

Hospital newborn mix up in Sydney: Stefanie has not been able to get her baby to latch-on since the mix-up.

Reportedly, since the incident, Stefanie has not been able to get Ellie to breastfeed and has resorted to giving her formula.

“I was very overwhelmed, I had just become a new mum…” said Stefanie.

The mix-up appears to have happened because the “identification bracelets on the newborn babies were not cross-checked against the mother’s name.”

Both families have received apologies in-person from senior staff of the Central Coast Local Health District. Furthermore, blood tests have been conducted on both mums to rule out any disease risk, especially to the baby breastfed by the wrong mum.

Partner Stories
An Adventure to Deepen Marine Life Understanding with S.E.A. Aquarium's Junior Ocean Protector Programme
An Adventure to Deepen Marine Life Understanding with S.E.A. Aquarium's Junior Ocean Protector Programme
Nintendo POP-UP STORE in SINGAPORE Will Open for the First Time in  Southeast Asia This November
Nintendo POP-UP STORE in SINGAPORE Will Open for the First Time in Southeast Asia This November
Immersive Disney Animation Makes Its South East Asia Premiere in Singapore
Immersive Disney Animation Makes Its South East Asia Premiere in Singapore
Unlock Your Family’s Dreams: Harnessing Personal Loans and Balance Transfers to Support Young Parents on the Path Towards a Fulfilling Future!
Unlock Your Family’s Dreams: Harnessing Personal Loans and Balance Transfers to Support Young Parents on the Path Towards a Fulfilling Future!

Has a similar incident happened to you or anyone you know? Do share your experiences with our other readers by leaving a comment below.

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

theAsianparent

  • Home
  • /
  • Baby
  • /
  • Baby breastfed by wrong mum in hospital newborn mix up in Sydney
Share:
  • Poop, vernix and unconditional love: 8 unspoken truths about having a baby!

    Poop, vernix and unconditional love: 8 unspoken truths about having a baby!

  • 5 things you never thought to do with pancake mix

    5 things you never thought to do with pancake mix

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

  • STUDY: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters - What Does It Mean For You?

    STUDY: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters - What Does It Mean For You?

  • Poop, vernix and unconditional love: 8 unspoken truths about having a baby!

    Poop, vernix and unconditional love: 8 unspoken truths about having a baby!

  • 5 things you never thought to do with pancake mix

    5 things you never thought to do with pancake mix

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

  • STUDY: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters - What Does It Mean For You?

    STUDY: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters - What Does It Mean For You?

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it