They weren’t orphans. In most instances they were born in the home and their mothers remained, but were not allowed to see their children. Didn’t want them bonding since the goal was adoption. Unwed mothers were hidden away and their children were a product of immorality, therefore they were not treated especially well. This was true of the society as a whole, as well as within these homes. If it makes you feel less like your church is being attacked, there was one of these homes out of more than ten that was at least nominally associated with Protestants. Children didn’t fare especially well there, either. They were buried individually when they died. Unmarked, though.
The home the children were in was funded by the state. If any died of malnutrician blame the state. Catholic nuns get no salary. They devote their lives to helping others.
But that is in contradiction to the report by Dr Sutherland, who made great efforts to survey such homes. He reported that in the Tuam Home, after the infants were two months old, the mothers were allowed to have them beside them at night.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/author-battled-clergy-to-gain-firsthand-experience-of-motherandbaby-homes-30337249.html
Babies in these homes were routinely nursed by their mothers, because feeding them any other way was extremely expensive.