Good story, Rachel - thanks.

Here, sadly, once a new baby is readmitted to hospital because of
feeding problems (or any other problem) he/she goes to a paediatric
ward where there may be zero midwifery input.

I can say, unfortunately,  without fear of contradiction that in many
hospitals (not all) there may be no one who regards preserving the bf
as being of any importance at all - preserving the bf is a luxury, at
best, and a ridiculous indulgence at worst.  Even if the staff are
kind and tolerant of the mother wanting this luxury, they do not know
how to do it.....all bfcs can tell stories of breastpumps not being
available or not working, no one being able to teach the mother to
use one, still less hand express, no knowledge that expressing has to
be done *a lot*....it's all very sad.

I don't know the figures, but I would guess that the vast majority of
re-admitted breastfed babies do not continue to be breastfed. Partly
this is to do with the huge blow to the self-confidence of the
mother, yes, but this can be overcome (as Rachel's story shows) with
the right approach.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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