Jean Ridler wrestled with a keyboard and this emerged:

> baby was "feeding" often. Nobody had told her about watching or
> listening for swallowing.

I think the issue of logs is sort of moot compared to this one.  Moms
are being discharged in many instances with no more breastfeeding
help than waving a nipple in front of a baby and being handed a chart
and a diaper bag "For Breastfeeding Moms."  The concept of the logs
taking precedence over the baby itself would lose some ground if moms
were taught these baby-centered observation skills.

None of the moms I've worked with were taught to recognize regular
swallowing or good sucking pattern, not a one.  These moms aren't
getting a valid means of assessing their baby's effectiveness at
nursing until day 4, 6 or even 10 when I come to see them, and then
they hear about the significance of clearing the mec out and audible
swallowing.

Any advice on working to change this?  I'm in a novel situation, as a
pp doula employed by a hospital, but not familar to the CB staff and
lacking any of those valuable initials.  I imagine I'm on even
shakier ground than my colleagues who are hosp employed LCs.

regards,
Beth

--
Beth Johnson, CBE, Doula
Certified Breastfeeding Educator
Resigned ICEA Certified Chilbirth Educator
Post-Partum Doula
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/9235/

"Beautiful words are not truthful,
 truthful words are not beautiful."--Lao Tzu

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html