To all,

Taped the show since I worked that night.  Have watched it twice - once
before reading all the Lactnet responses, once after.  I would urge
everyone who is writing to the network, etc. to take a deep breath before
firing off that letter, e-mail, etc.  Just a few points to consider...

Yes, I definitely would have done the show differently, presented BFHI
more accurately, offered alternative to pump-n-dump, ended the show with
Grad nursing her baby...

The discussion of BFHI was pretty on the mark as to the differering
points of view.  The point was made that it did not force moms to nurse,
but encouraged them.  Later on, the chief of staff reiterates that the
"contract" (yeah, I didn't get that signing of a contract thing, don't
know if it exists anywhere) does not force the mom to breastfeed but
simply states that the hospital feels that breastmilk is the best
nutrition for a baby.  Ten different writer would have written the scene
ten different ways, but the main point was that the hospital was
committed to encouraging new moms to breastfeed.  And that may be the
message that the average viewer got - no problem there.

A lot of the message was not about breastfeeding, but about being a new
parent - making decisions, not knowing who to believe when advice is
offered, etc.  I think a lot of that was presented very well.  The scene
where Diane is unable to comfort her baby - who has not been there (let's
be honest, even bf does not always work in those situations).  I think
the image of the right-on-top-of -things neighbor was a little overdone,
but again, this is TV and they only have a few minutes - I would have
written it a little differently, but then again, there are a million ways
to write the same scene...

The point was made that the LC told the parents to take the baby to the
doctor and they didn't.  Again, this does happen.  We often don't get the
whole story, moms shop around for help and tell every LC and LLLL in town
something a little bit different, and takes from each of them a little
bit different advice.  Yes, the baby should have been seen, but you can't
drag people in for a consult and sometimes we do have only the phone, or
even e-mail, to go on.  Again, the show portrayed, very briefly, not the
ideal situation but one that is certainly real.

The part about weaning vs. pump-n-dump.  The male doctor says, "that
sounds like a lot of work" and Diane shoots back "Parenting is a lot of
work, Jack".  Great line.  But, would have been so much better to also
mention that there are many pain meds that are compatible with
breastfeeding.  But that would not have led so nicely to the "parenting
is a lot of work" exchange, which was a big part of the overall
storyline.  Again, look at the show as a writer, not as a breastfeeding
advocate.  At least an alternative to weaning was portrayed which is more
than we usually get.  Small steps.

The worst was the last, IMO.  Although again, it was a powerful scene
that showed the despair and guilt of a parent that loses a child,
implying that nothing matters except keeping the child alive was such a
bad message in so many ways.  And it was a line that I heard co-workers
discussing in the break room at work that morning as I was getting ready
to leave, although I hadn't watched the show yet and didn't know what
they were talking about.

Nitpicking about things like single vs. double pumping is really going
over the edge, IMO, and is a point that would be lost on the average
person who never even saw a breast pump before.  Some of the points that
have been made on Lactnet about the show would seriously only be apparent
to a LC or LLLL and would make no difference, good or bad, to the average
viewer.  When writing a letter, If you want to make a point about the
show, please try to pick something really significant and understandable
to the average layperson.

As was stated in a previous post, the writers took a real-life incident
and turned it into an hour-long (actually, a lot less than that
considering other storylines and commercials) show.  Some of the stuff
they did was good, some not so good.  Was there influence from the
sponsors?  I really don't know how that works.  Maybe yes, maybe no.
Maybe it was just the product of some people who had gotten a very quick
and incomplete picture of what breastfeeding is all about in order to
write this episode.  Maybe their consultant for the show wasn't so good
or maybe the advice was taken only so far as it advanced the overall
story arc (happens all the time).  I really doubt that anyone was trying
to sabotage breastfeeding, and in any event, it is not the purpose of the
show (I don't think) to promote any one point of view, but rather to
write involving stories which will get viewers to watch and sell
merchandise( yeah, I know, including ...) which keeps the show on the air
(Chicago Hope is one of those borderline shows that is one step away from
being cancelled each year).

All that said, I think that well-written and well-focused criticism will
at least let the writers know that people are paying attention to what
they are putting out there and may help to improve their future scripts.
To reitierate again (sorry, Kathleen) keep it short, pleasant, meaningful
and always include a thanks somewhere in there.  To expect breastfeeding
to be a continuing storyline is, I think, also a bit unrealistic.
Considering all the follow-up shows that were done around the country, I
think that a lot of good may actually have been done here (glass
half-full, not half-empty).  Many more people have now heard about
lactation consultants and La Leche League and know what to look for when
evaluating how breastfeeding is going.  They know that if the LC
encourages them to see their doctor, then that is what they really should
do.  Baby Friendly may have a little PR work to do, but at least the
phrase is out there.  Although I think venting here is perfectly OK
(maybe even necessary for some of us), be careful what you say out in the
real world.  Perceptions may be very different from what you think and
you may come off looking pretty crazy if you start dissing a show that
your neighbor or HCP thought was pro-breastfeeding.

Well, this is way too long, but I don't have the ambition or time to edit
myself.  Still wondering why they're killing off another baby next week.
Pretty depressing stuff.

Sharon Knorr, BSMT, LLLL, IBCLC
Lactation Consultant Services
Rochester, New York
mailto:[log in to unmask]


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