Dear Lacneters,
    I have been reading Lactnet for awhile now. The discussions and information are great and have given me much food for thought as I travel through my work day. I work for the WIC program.  Gave up a hospital job after 18 years as a L&D, Postpartum and Nursery nurse,so I could work with breastfeeding mothers full time.  I make a lot less money but I  am doing what I love best- helping new mothers to fall in love with their babies.  For me that is what keeps me in this business. Our WIC project serves two counties. I cover a lot of miles. There are two hospitals in each county and one that serves both counties. Four of them have as of last month nurses who are IBCLC. (REJOICE there is light).One hospital does not have anyone who specializes in breastfeeding.  I just saw a mom today from this last hospital, and came away really depressed. Baby was 7 days old and mom stated that she had wanted to breastfeed but "the baby didn't like it" right from the start, and now after a week of trying baby screams if she even puts her near her breasts. She stated that the baby has never latched unto her breast/s. She stated that she was discharged with instructions to bottle feed until the baby took the breast.  I worked with mom and baby for two hours just getting the mom baby both comfortable with the baby being at the breast.  This baby can be taught to breastfeed but because of many factors mom now sees breastfeeding as something that will take more time and effort  then she is willing to give.  In my opinon her "Window of opportunity for learning something new has now passed". The sad thing is that I would have been willing to work with this mother last week if the hospital would have called WIC.  We do not know a WIC client has delivered unless the hospital or client calls us.  We have asked the hospitals to call us when a WIC breastfeeding mom delivers or is discharged, but ALL of them said that it would take too much of their time.  They only track the bottle feeding mothers so they know which formula to start the baby on. How sad that everyone in a community can not work together. Do any of you who work in hospitals make a referral to WIC? If you do is it just telling the client to "Call when you have a chance".  I know that many hospitals do follow up phone calls (this mom had not received one yet, so thank the lord she did feed this baby something), some do home visits, and some tell the mom to come back to them in a few days,  but wouldn't it be nice to give moms ALL the support that is available to them in a community?   How do those of you who work in hospitals inter act with other agencies such as Le Leche League, WIC, health departments? 

Judy McCurdy RN, IBCLC
WIC breastfeeding Coordinator.

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