Hi all,

I am going to pipe up on this particular topic.  I am a lactaction educator,
as well as, an experienced working doula, cbe and ICAN Board member. The
feedback (and personal eyeball and ears experience) I receive about HCPs is
that they do routinely misrepresent, if not outright lie to suit their own
practices, protocols, needs and practice style - they do not often promote
the best for a particular mom and baby whether in pregnancy or postpartum.
I will add that most HCPs believe what they say - I do not think it is
conscious deciet - though deciet nonetheless that they are responsible for.

I am NOT a cynic, I am a realist that is shocked and offended by what is
going on  every day to keep moms and babies "safe".  This includes forcing a
baby to have sugar water or formula when mom says no to make it easier for
the staff after birth or telling women the drugs in labor of all types with
have NO effect on breastfeeding and are perfectly safe.

I will agree playing nice gets us nowhere.  Playing thoughtful, longterm and
smarter will, I believe.  Planting seeds. Refusing to stop giving
information even if you know a said HCP will challenge it.  Guess what, moms
bond to their IBCLC's.  I did with my first son when he had feeding issues.
I trusted her far more than anyone else.  I digress.

Working within the system to be change agents in subtle but solid ways will
make a difference.  How about working to get the formula sample bags out of
the hospitals, training nursery staff to utilize finger feeding, spoon
feeding or other methods than simply going to bottle, put practices into
place so a mom who needs to pump round the clock with a preemie or other
non-latching babe isn't sold a pump n style or given a hand pump to do the
job when she leaves the hospital.  For IBCLCs who work in private practice -
perhaps you can encourage parents to praise or complain about their
experiences, encourage parents to leave the formula gift bag behind, provide
prenatal workshops or classes that do not adhere to often restrictive
information that some hospitals courses offer....  This isn't an "us"
against "them" - there are ways to encircle the issues and move forward
together.  I would love to see hospital IBCLCs and PP IBCLCs combining
forces to improve this situation for moms and babies.

Another tactic, how about giving HCPs compliments when they give the right
info and do the appropriate things with moms and babies.  Perhaps give out
certificates of great care or mom-baby friendly care to them.  Who doesn't
LOVE a reward of some type.  Refer moms to peds and fps who you know are
most mom-baby friendly in practice.

OK so this is clearly a topic that has stirred the advocate in me.  LOL.  I
am offering this as a thinking tool.  I am not telling any of you how to do
your jobs. This comes from often being on the front lines with women - man
oh man - many HCPs aren't playing nice - so this is opportunity to use their
faults to forge improvement.

Pax,

Desirre

Desirre Andrews
www.birthingtouch.com

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