Well, I thought I would update you on my consult with the mom who was
breastfeeding a baby that was conceived through a rape for here in MOMAIL land.

This was such a great experience!  Mom was very guarded about her body, but
since I was there for basic breastfeeding instruction and reassurrance, breast
assessment was not necessary.  Mom was wonderful!  I was so amazed by her
attachment and comittment to her baby it was breath taking!  I was prepared for
a mom who would be passive and a little baby shy; boy was I wrong!  She was very
well educated (by her sister and reading she had done) about breastfeeding and
the info was very accurrate which is rare to see in this area.  Baby did her job
with breastfeeding like she had done it three trillion times before.  Mom keeps
baby with her constantly and can't wait to get home to be alone with her.  She
nurses on demand which at this time is about every 1 1/2 hour.  Both mom and
baby are comforted by breastfeeding.  It was just great to see!

About the issue of hospitals discharging patients with breastpumps:

I am in favor of at least offering this service to moms and I don't really care
who pays for it.  In the case of this patient, money is a factor (she doesn't
even have a phone) as it is with most women in this area.  This mom would have
never been able to buy the breastpump she got (Spring Express) on her own.  She
did know enough to ask if the hospital would be able to provide her with one and
now she has a good pump to use as she sees fit.  I think that pumps on
discharge, at least in this area with this population, keep moms breastfeeding
just a little longer and keep them from buying those "junk or disposable"
breastpumps that we all know rip them up and don't work well.  I think each
hospital must decide based on its community how to handle this issue.  If this
was a community with a higher average income and better opportunity for
breastfeeding education and support I may think differently about it.  Every mom
that I have worked with in a hospital setting is instructed on the use of that
pump before I hand it over to her.  I think that this is a vital responsibility
included in giving out such equipment that should not be excluded from patient
education.  I will add that not every mother who is breastfeeding gets a
breastpump, some prefer to keep breastfeeding "natural" and that is just fine
with me, I then teach hand expression as a "just incase you need to" thing.  I
think ever mother should learn this just incase but not every mother is
interested or comfortable with this method of expression.  It can be hard for
some to master.

Back to work,
Melissa Brancho