Hello Barbie, my name is Denny Rice, RN, IBCLC
Sorry to hear of your trouble with switched babies.  Please, be sure to keep
this incident separate in your mind from your work as a breastfeeding educator.
They really are unrelated.

1)error made, gave wrong baby to mom. This is very important, the potential
consequences enormous.  It is completely correct for the hospital to have a
complete investigation.  The administration needs to examine if their current
policies need improvement.  If, as it sounds, you simply became so focused on
helping mom nurse that you did not follow proper procedure, then I would expect
that you will be counseled and the incident will be added to your personnel
file.

2) your work improving breastfeeding practices in your hospital. Most of us who
initiate change, for any reason, find ourselves fairly unpopular.  People can
be very happy in their complacency, and resist change, even when clearly for
the better.  You must not lose your sense of purpose. This incident is
completely unrelated to the wonderful work you do for breastfeeding moms.  It
is hard, but try to remove the emotion of situation and look at it from a
logical point of view.  Nothing will negate the good you have done and will do,
and everyone makes mistakes.  That's why they have incident reports.  Anytime
someone in your situation (change maker) has a difficulty, there will be
small-minded, petty people who will rejoice in your discomfort.

Have confidence, this will follow a predictable course and in the end, it will
be a fairly minor setback to your work.
Hang in there, those moms and babies need you!
Denny Rice, RN, IBCLC
Dallas, Texas, USA

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