Laurie,
Keep in mind that the Mississippi WIC program provides free CE trainings to 
delivering hospitals. Give me a call for more info:\
Laura Wright
Breastfeeding Program Coordinator
Mississippi WIC Program
800-545-6747

In a message dated 11/12/2005 7:47:37 PM Central Standard Time, 
[log in to unmask] writes:

> Date:   Sat, 12 Nov 2005 18:35:21 +0000
> From:   laurie wheeler <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: report from N.E. Mississippi USA
> 
> Hello lactnetters,
> Thought I would send a little report about my job in N.E. Mississippi (s.e. 
> USA) since Hurricane Katrina and how things compare to New Orleans on the 
> breastfeeding front. I am happy to say that I am working part time starting 
> up a breastfeeding program at a hospital that does about 1000 births per 
> year. The breastfeeding initiation rates are 40% average, 30-48% was the 
> range by month over the last 11 months. The rates drop from there at 
> hospital discharge which is only about 24 hrs for vag birth and 2-3 days for 
> 
> c/s birth. so we have a huge amount of work to do. In New Orleans, my rates 
> were steady at about 47-50% over last 2 yrs.
> The new program consists of myself (soon to train a nurse interested in 
> becoming LC to help me) seeing all breastfeeding moms, and doing f/u calls 
> to start. I am weeding through the written info and discarding or 
> re-inventing where needed.
> The maternity dept seem to do a good job of keeping moms/babies together 
> within the constraints of a separate pp/nsy model. Babies seem to stay with 
> mom for 1-2 hrs, they usually do get in a good feed. A nsy nurse goes to the 
> 
> birthing area and gives the vit k and eye prophylaxis and does the vital 
> statistics after a time and then leaves mom/baby together again for awhile.
> I see alot more rooming in and babies NOT in the nursery so much. I also 
> note that mothers tend to be more mobile and self-sufficient, not sure if 
> that is the hospital culture and expectation or the culture of rural 
> Mississippi. For example, moms come into the nsy to view the digital baby 
> photos and pick one, and they come in for their dsicharge teaching. They are 
> 
> up and about much much more than in N.O.
> I've  seen much less c/s births, havent' gotten an answer as to what the 
> actual rates are, and I see much less obesity although I see that Miss. has 
> high obesity rates. These are just observations not statistical analyses.  
> We have one electric pump for moms to use. A large percentage of moms are 
> low income on the state Medicaid and WIC program (USA low income health 
> programs) which seems more cooperative and easy to access services for bf 
> than New Orleans was.
> Nursing admin is planning to work with me to perhaps get some grant funding 
> to expand this program to a f/u clinic and hopefully some good nurses 
> training and resources. If you have any ideas about grant funding let me 
> know.  The medical staff seem quite supportive of bf, there are several 
> family practice docs, a couple pediatricians. Very sick babies and level 3 
> babies are shipped out.
> 
> So I feel like I'm in a more supportive environment now but still I miss 
> home.
> Laurie Wheeler, IBCLC, MN, RN
> 


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