Lee wrote:
<<I am more inclined to "first do no harm"
than some of the medical professionals on the team. I expect them to have
minimal knowledge about breastfeeding so that they do NOT cause any harm.>>
Excellent post, Lee. Yes, we do need to be team players -- all of us.
Let's see: what I've dealt with this week (and this week alone):
1. A night nurse who insisted she take the baby to the nursery and give
formula because the baby wanted to "eat all the time." (It was the baby's
'second night' -- guess what was going on.) Fortunately, mom said absolutely not.
The nurse really didn't understand how that can undermine breastfeeding --
she was trying to "take care" of the mother.
2. A 6 day old, near term baby who had lost weight: the peds told mom that
she was to breastfeed, and after each feed alternate between giving the baby
3 ounces of pedialyte and three ounces of formula.
3. A 7 day old, near term baby who was jaundiced. Peds told the parents
that while mom could continue to breastfeed, she was to follow with two ounces
of water to "flush" the bilirubin out.
4. A first time mom with a questionable milk supply. Her OB gave her a
prescription for 90 tablets of 10 mg Reglan, (mom was to take it three times a
day) to be refilled at least twice, and told her she would probably have to
take it for the entire time she was breastfeeding. Mom has a history of mild
depression....
In all but the first case, breastfeeding was "encouraged" but the
information and instructions given to the mom were off kilter. In cases two and three,
not a lot of harm done, in case 4, it could have been a real problem.
Fortunately mom decided on her own that she couldn't tolerate the Reglan after a
week, so d/c it, and is going to take More Milk Plus instead. Since the IBCLC
is not to suggest alternatives, we will leave it as unsaid who might have
suggested that to her.
These were all moms that came through my private practice, not through the
pediatric practice where I am their IBCLC -- and where I am treated as a
valued team member by all the physicians and all the nurses on staff. It is a
wonderful job, and I love it. I've not burned out with that piece of it yet,
even after nearly 19 years with the group.
Jan Barger
_Lactation Education Consultants_
(http://www.lactationeducationconsultants.com/)
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