Dr. Helgemo writes:
>I am a young energetic idealistic general pediatrician starting my own
>practice in Port Charrlotte, Florida. I am looking for an experienced
>Nurse/lactation consult to work with me. My goal is to have a Breast
>friendly office where formula is a dirty word.
>
>Also, If anyone has any pointers to how best to set things up in my
>office to give all families the best chance to BF as long as posible I
>am all ears.
Hurray for you, and welcome to LactNet!! I'm sure you'll get lots of warm
welcomes and suggestions/ideas from this wonderful resource. Here are a few
thoughts off the top of my head:
1. Work with local ob/gyns in your area to let them know how supportive you
are of breastfeeding, and offer to do whatever you can to help them support
and promote breastfeeding.
2. Adhere to the mandates of the Innocenti Declaration and the WHO Code for
the International Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. Such as: No
advertising of infant formula in your office, no free samples, no calendars
or pens or any of the free stuff they give away advertising their product.
Ask your local ob/gyns to participate in this -- you may have to give them
copies of the Code, as they may not be aware of it.
3. Decorate your office with beautiful posters of mothers and babies
breastfeeding. There are some great ones available from the Texas
Department of Health. Contact Jeanne Fisher for more information:
[log in to unmask]
4. Purchase office calendars from La Leche League. Have a big display of
handouts and tear sheets on various topics from La Leche League. Develop a
good relationship with the local LLL folks, so you can encourage moms to
attend meetings, and refer patients to LLL when what they need mostly is
encouragement and support (as opposed to a medical situation). Have a sign
on the door and on the wall in the waiting room saying: "Feel free to feed
your baby the healthy way: Breastfeeding mothers and children welcome here."
5. Purchase bulk order copies of Pam Wiggins little book "Why Should I
Nurse My Baby?" and give one to each mom/couple who comes to meet with you
before their baby is born. Have multiple copies available in the outer
waiting room.
6. Have other breastfeeding-friendly reading materials available in the
waiting rooms and exams rooms. This means, basically, no commercial
magazines, except Mothering, and LLL publications like "New Beginnings."
Include some catalogues from companies that make nursing clothes.
7. Use memo pads that sport breastfeeding-friendly messages, and give out
stickers to the kids that support breastfeeding (instead of Power Rangers!).
8. Get growth charts that aren't sponsored by Ross Labs.
9. Tell all your patients that you expect them to exclusively breastfeed
for 4-6 months as recommended by the World Health Organization for all
babies, and to continue to breastfeed for the minimum of two years
recommended by the World Health Organization. Tell them you will provide
the information, education, and support they need to do so, including
referrals to IBCLCs, for pumps, supply and latch problems, etc. Tell them
if they don't/won't/can't, you will work with them to alleviate the health
problems caused by lack of breast milk. For those who are reluctant, give
them a copy of Marsha Walker's JHL article on the Risks of Artificial Infant
Formula.
10. Make sure the hospitals where your patients deliver understand that
your patients are to follow the "10 Steps" to a Baby-Friendly Hospital,
including no separation of mother and child, breastfeeding early and often,
no supplements, including water or sugar water, no pacifiers, etc. Make
sure the nurses understand there will be repercussions for going against orders.
11. Have a bulletin board in the waiting room of photographs of moms and
babies nursing, or just posed together showing how happy and healthy they are.
I'm sure others will come up with more recommendations! Again, welcome and
thank you.
Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition
Texas A&M University
|
