Pamela's and Barbara's comments have triggered in me the desire to comment on working with moms and respecting their decisions while at the same time advocating for breastfeeding.

I am part of a choir, and, as usual, I introduce myself to new people (in this case, a new organist) with the fact that I'm an LC...well, we talked about her new baby (6 weeks and in the church so she could feed between and whenever..) when she mentioned that she did not believe in this "back to sleep" thing - that all her kids have slept much better on their tummy...

I agreed that my babies also always slept on their tummy, as at the time (70's) we thought that was the SAFEST - then I went on to explain the New Zealand studies, the information I had learned at the ILCA Conference in Australia about the differences in oral anatomy between the infant and the adult, and why this "back to sleep" seems to be protective.

I never argued with her - or made her feel like a bad mother - just shared some new information.

The next time I saw her, she thanked me - and told me her baby was now sleeping on his back.

When we talk to breastfeeding moms we at times "short-cut" the "why's" because of the length of our visits, the tiredness of the mom, etc.  However, when we do this, we have to understand we may not be providing her with enough information to make informed choices.  One of the reasons for doing follow-up calls or visits soon after the first, I have learned in Public Health Nursing, is to "fine tune" what we taught, reinforce what was explained only once, and add, now that there is not so much new to teach,  information that will assist moms in continuing on their journey.

During follow-ups we can learn if the mom is pumping only 4 times a day, why, and what she understood this would accomplish...etc....  Sometimes the question will elicit misunderstandings, giving us the opportunity to offer additional education - sometimes it will identify what THEIR priorities are.  Either way, we come back having learned more rather than guessing what the mom is really thinking.  

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC

California, USA

 


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