Dear Chris, I'm sorry you misunderstood me. I've been on both sides of the
fence in my life journey. Orig was a LLLL & used to rant about stupid
things mom's were told and simply couldn't understand why BF moms weren't
helped more in the office by HCPs who should know about BF. I've always
said that I came into nursing by the back door since I was a mother & LLLL
before I went for my RN :-)
Then I was a hospital LC and still had the luxury of time to deal with BF
problems, still ranted about stupid things moms were told etc. and wondered
why the HCP would say things like that and not just send mom to me, after
all as LC at the hospital they could easily avail themselves of my
services.
Now....I work as a PNP in a "medicaid mill." I am honestly lucky if I get
5 minutes per patient! I can identify some BF problems in 5 min, but I
can't fix them, so I liberally refer to LCs, WIC peer counselors and LLLL
in my area. I actively promote BF with expectant moms. And that's about
all I have time for. The kid wheezing down the hall has a more urgent
need. (I do have time tho to thoroughly enjoy my infrequent well visits
with moms who are BF without problem. I try to urge them to go to local
LLL meetings as they are such good examples for other minority moms to see.
And I give them heaps of praise during my exam.)
So I've seen it from both sides and I repeat, there isn't time in a busy
office to deal with complex BF problems. That's why LCs as a profession
came into being. There is a need, for sure, for someone to take the hour
or so that moms need, and be able to follow closely. And I'm still
waiting for that big lawsuit. Because when all the drs who aren't BF
friendly and endlessly supply formula find out that that is not the answer
(and may cost them), maybe then they will begin to refer moms if they don't
have the time or knowledge to help her make BF work.
Again, I'm sorry that you took offense at what I said. I didn't mean it in
a bashing way since I'm a HCP too. I just meant that a big lawsuit re:
baby with problems from formula thoughtlessly given maybe would have a
bigger impact than being nice and trying to spoon feed BF info all the time
to people who should know about BF if babies are their patients.
Sincerely, Pat in SNJ (who has the following initials in order of
acquisition :-) MA, LLLL, RN, GRMA, IBCLC, BSN, MSN, CPNP
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