No matter how well-designed a program might be, the personal opinions 
and attitudes of the individuals in charge can be quite powerful. It is 
difficult to know if this is a system-wide issue for RMH, a 
Houston-wide problem or an isolated incident, but when your child is 
the isolated incident, it is everything to you.

  When my son was in PICU, my family used the floor in the hospital 
recreation room--one of us slept by my son--the other with my daughter 
on the floor. We moved our things out every morning. We were mostly 
very well-supported by the nurses, but a couple of nurses really 
harassed me about my nursing 2yr old daughter--telling us she would be 
happier at home (since they knew her so well), that we should find 
someone to leave her with, that she didn't need to nurse at this age, 
blah, blah, blah. Yep, our son was fighting for his life and the most 
important thing on my mind should have been the ideal opportunity to 
force-wean my daughter!!! Yes, this added a lot to my stress and 
frankly I think there should be consequences for medical people who 
undermine breastfeeding. But, I also know that breastfeeding is such a 
powder keg for people that, HCP or not, they often cannot get out of 
their own way with their personal agendas. The only way I know to 
change this in the short-term is by institutional mandate--and in the 
long-term by changing cultural attitudes. So, to look at the 
institution itself--RMH, I went to the website.

  It's always interesting to go to a corporation's own website to get a 
better sense of who they are. These are three interesting bits that I 
found:


 On the Houston website:
 "RMH cannot change a child’s medical condition —
 whether it is cancer, heart disease, or premature birth
 — but we can ease the financial burden and emotional
 stress for their family."

  Hmm...seems like easing emotional stress is not on the agenda when you 
don't like breastfeeding.

 On the corporate website, "About Us" page:

  "A strong mind. A strong body. And a safe, supportive place to grow. 
These are things that every child needs - and deserves.
 Helping to provide these things is what we do."

  Seems to me this is what breatfeeding does. Undermining breastfeeding 
would be quite the opposite.

  "Our cornerstone Ronald McDonald House program began in 1974 based on 
a simple idea: Provide a "home away from home" for families of 
seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Since 
that time, more than 10 million families around the world have 
benefited from the comfort provided by a Ronald McDonald House."

  In a "home away from home", a breastfeeding family would 
breastfeed--wherever, whenever...

 On the Corportate Partners Page:
  "Ronald McDonald House Charities, Inc. (RMHC) is fortunate to have 
strong relationships with many corporate donors. The generous 
contributions of these corporations enable RMHC to bring comfort and 
care to children in every corner of the globe.

  By joining the family of RMHC supporters, these outstanding corporate 
citizens have associated themselves with one of the most trusted 
international charitable programs and made a visible commitment to help 
RMHC find solutions that work."

 So Nestle is an "outstanding corporate citizen"?

 Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
 Intuitive Parenting Network LLC

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