I read this article in my paper last night and the understanding I got was
that they were placing a lot of blame on "drive-through" deliveries.  Now, I
remember when this was a big issue and laws were passed here preventing
insurance companies from limiting the time new mothers could receive
insurance coverage for hospital stays after delivery.  At the time, (wasn't
that long ago) these moms were being d/c in 24 hrs for vaginal delivery and
48 hrs for c/s.  Prior to this period of time (like when I was having mine)
the "normal"  length of stay was 48 hrs and 72 hrs respectively, and this is
basically what we've gone back to with the new legislation.  What confused
me about the article was that the "drive-through deliveries" they referred
to, the length of stay was 48 and 72 hrs!  I thought that was what the fuss
was about that we needed to go BACK to these LOS!   They implied that
mothers weren't being kept in the hospital long enough for breastfeeding
problems to show up.  They stated that this usually occurred several days
after delivery.  So, the understanding I got from the article was that
keeping mothers longer so that breastfeeding problem could be caught and
fixed before sending them home would decrease the rates of kernicterus
injuries and death.  So, I guess maybe we should be keeping moms, like they
kept my grandmother, who tells me she stayed in hospital for 10 days (for
the 2 that she had in the hospital, who by the way she was unsuccessful
breastfeeding after having homebirthed and successfully breastfed her first
3!  A commentary on our time).  I somehow think that wouldn't go over well
with insurance companies!!  (Or me, who escaped at her earliest
opportunity!)
Marsha, who is having a frustrating day with 2 sets of twins!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations
as all other earthly causes combined.
John S. C. Abbot
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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