Kathleen and all, I am also sickened to read this story. I am heartsick reading the many stories that affirm this is common practice. And my own new place of employment I don't think I can stomach much longer. The director stated when she hired me that she wanted to make changes and improvements but she is not following thru at all. Today, for example, I had 3 bf moms to see. One had very large breasts and nipples and the baby had never latched and also was not being allowed to bf at times due to pain meds, she had not bf yet at about 17 hrs old. The baby was getting formula. No offer of expressing. The 2nd mom had a baby born at 36 wks. About 28 hrs old and had never bf yet. He is getting formula. No offer of expressing for him. Another mom from Africa states she will start bf once she goes home. No one questions, explores, or offers any other options. The mom relates to me that she bf her first child for 7wks with extreme nipple pain and trauma and finally gave up. Declined to begin bf with help in hospital. One last case, a followup call for a baby born at 35 wks: Baby is kept in hospital for phototherapy; mom being told not to bf becoz the bilirubin is coming down better on formula. Forget the fact that I predicted this baby would have high bili due to ineffective bf (which everyone ignored until I had an altercation with the nursery staff), and that plenty of breastmilk which mother has, would have the same effect as plenty of formula - the bili will come down. I think I convinced this mom to continue bf and supplying ebm, there is no magic ingredient in formula that is making the bili come down, as the nurse led her to believe. Really, I don't think I can last as a lactation consultant much longer. After 10 yrs of doing only this, and not really seeing any improvement in the hospital setting - honestly - I am seriously considering giving up. I know that will take one more warrior out of the battle, but my mental health is suffering from this constant battle. In the last 5 yrs I can't really say I have seen any improvements in the New Orleans area. Laurie Wheeler _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html