Gail,

You make such valuable contributions to Lactnet (and the larger world of
breastfeeding), I feel fortunate to share this forum with you.  Your post had
many good points, and I do not wish to offend (further?) but to clarify:

Auto mechanics will often tell people they should have their oil changed,
tires rotated, radiator flushed, fan belt replaced, etc.. - only to have
consumers make informed choices about which items they are willing to pay for
and what risks they are willing to take.  And sometimes the mechanics have
good reason to say (for example) that no, they will not change brake pads
without turning the rotors.  "Take the package or walk."

I doubt that you really mean that families should "take the package or walk."
 Especially when the "package" may include whatever the nurse on duty (whom
the parents *cannot* choose in advance) thinks is appropriate.  Accepting a
physician's "input" is very different from accepting "doctor's orders."  It
isn't always possible to work out these issues in advance:  women in this
area can choose their OBs, but not which partner is on call, not the
anesthesiologist, not the neonatologist.  Having these highly trained experts
on hand in case something goes wrong is like having a lifeguard at the pool -
if you don't need them they ought to stay out of the way.  "First do no
harm."

We may disagree on who should have the final decision about the care of minor
children (it isn't always simple, <sigh>); but we both know that withholding
eye ointment (in a VD negative mom) is not in the same ballpark as snorting
cocaine.  The struggle to improve maternity care is an important one - and
worthy of confrontation when compromise doesn't work.  The most courageous
and generous women IMHO are those who challenge(d) hospital staff to stop
shaving, stop excluding men, stop using restraints, stop episiotomy, stop
scrubbing, stop separating, etc..  The work continues...

Respectfully,
Elaine Ziska
Jackson, MS

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