After all the hipe about chicago Hope, did anyone else catch Party of Five
last night. Talk about showing bf in a calm, positive light. A premie, born
healthy but small, no hitech stuff shown, mother given no choice but to bf,
pumping, father stating 2 hour feeds as normal expectation! Even if the
hospital staff was portrayed as unemotional (a doctor, a nurse, and a LC
showed up in the middle of the night to get baby latched, oh well at least
they tried). The mother went home first (didn't feel bonded to baby after c-
sec.) and the baby was brought home later by dad. Not only did he excitedly
report the large eruption, but as he changed the diaper, they made a point to
show its contents, amazingly a huge normal bf stool! He goes back to work,
telling his wife she will just have to take care of the child now (with
support from a friend), and doesn't she give in to the crying baby, pick it
up, and when he comes home, he finds her holding the baby in rocking chair.
She tells him that, in her frustration to stop the baby's crying, she stuffs
her breast in the baby's mouth- amazingly, she latches on and feeds like a
pro! I am going to write the producers to thank them for showing bf as an
expected outcome, possible with little intervention, and needed to ensure
bonding. This little tv show passively gave positive messages, so sorely
needed in light of all the negativity surrounding bf. I just wonder if it
impacted on its audience, which I assume to be mainly teenagers. (maybe not, I
was watching)
Hope they follow up next week with more good stuff!
Susan Wittner,RN,BSN, LLL and addicted to reading my e-mail now