Hi, wise ones...

I'm SO frustrated. I was hired at this hospital as an L&D nurse, a little over a year ago. Have done lactation counseling in other hospitals for several years now (part of being a decent L&D nurse, I've always felt).

Got my IBCLC (thanks, Jan Barger, Linda Kutner and Carole Peterson!) last year. Was so excited to have it. And now, thanks to the nursing shortage, I'm being pulled more and more frequently to do L&D. I had to cancel two outpatient clients this evening because OB "might" need me to do labor.

I didn't sign up for this! Or, did I? It seems that when it comes down to it, labor comes first, and lactation counseling is a distant second at this facility. Dunno what I'm gonna do...would much rather do lactation, as it turns out.

And on to my second question...had a client who was ill 2 months ago, and was hospitalized. Baby (now 4 months old) was given bottles exclusively at this time. Mama called me last week to say she wanted to get baby back to breast.

Saw her in the office...baby would latch and suckle briefly at a nipple shield IF formula/EBM dribbled onto it continually. I figured we could wean baby off the nipple shield once she got the hang of breastfeeding again. Mama was not very willing to have baby fuss, would sit her up the nanosecond she started fussing.

(Sigh) Was to see her tonight for follow-up (one of my cancelled visits! ARRGH!) and she said now baby is refusing nipple shield, too. Punted her to a good LC in the area, but feel awful about doing so.

I would have suggested skin-to-skin, bathtub, etc., but this mama does NOT want this child crying AT ALL. Mama is from India...is there maybe something cultural I'm missing?

Thanks, all.

Tammy in Colorado

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