This has been addressed often. You cannot, by definition prescribe an over the counter product. I don't assume a mother needs anyone's permission to use nutrition, homeopathy, herbs or supplements to normalize her milk supply.  I understand the difficulty of being in an institution and personally feel that we as a profession need to take a stand that we will not withhold information from women no matter our venue. If we all take the same position they cannot replace one LC w a more compliant one. Until that happens I suggest cultivating a relationship w an LC in the community who will work w you on these issues. Relationships w naturopaths and other holistic practitioners would also be very helpful (I consider them essential-I am not a doctor). Then you can refer to someone who will support the mother w such options and remove yourself from the political arena. As I see it if doctors are going to continue to screw up birth they need to get out of the way of breastfeeding success.

Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT,USA

Subject: info on herbs


While studying to become a lactation consultant, I have come across lots of good info on herbs that are helpful with increasing supply and some helpful with certain conditions experienced by nursing moms (yeast). 

 Now, at our hospital we cannot share this info directly with moms, we have to send the info to their physician and let their physician discuss this info with them and decide if this is something they can try.   The reasoning behind this is because these  are supplements that can be bought over the counter and if we have told her that this herb is something that has helped other mothers in her situation, and she tries it without her MD's knowledge then we have just "prescribed", without proper authorization.  I understand that we have no prescriptive authority and I understand the potential danger in taking any med without being under an MD's supervision. 

 But the problem that we are having is that when we send this herbal info to the MD, many of them say," I am unfamiliar with this" and will not tell a mom that it's OK to take.   Then you feel as though your hands are tied in helping this mom, because we have usually already gone through increasing pumping, power pumping, and all other simple (non-medicinal/herbal) techniques for increasing supply.  

Has anyone else, had this experience at their facility, and if so what was a solution that was found to work, while working without our scope of practice and being able to help these moms?

Thanks for your input in advance!

Karen Lavergne RN, IBCLC, RLC
USA 

 

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry



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