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From:
Kershaw Jane <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:08:53 -0600
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Do you think the type of patients you are seeing now (musculo-skeletal or t-t issues) is related to the fact you WILL tackle them?  I think there are enough books and videos and internet resources that a lot of moms don't want to pay for help with "simple" problems and come only if they can't solve it themselves or the problem doesn't respond to measures they find.  I could be wrong, but if folks have to pay cash and they are strapped, and they can get formula for free and they are not that committed anyhow ----. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jaye Simpson, IBCLC
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: What we have learned...

I remember when I first started out 14 yrs ago.the babies I worked with had latch issues that were mostly positioning and latch technique.  Help the mom and that helped the baby.  However, over the years I've seen a dramatic increase in the women who have low milk supply issues due to PCOS and other undiagnosed hormonal issues and hypoplasia.  I see more and more babies with posterior and submucosal tongue ties - neither of which I can find anyone in my area to clip.  The vast majority of my practice now is babies who have extremely tight muscles in their jaw, neck and back - and upon evaluation of the body I find mild to severe misalignments in the muscles leading to mild to severe breastfeeding problems.  Luckily I have someone to refer to to help these babies.  

 

I think about this often and have to wonder what is the cause of me seeing this increase?  I think it is a couple things.  First the birthing practices in our country SUCK.  Babies are harmed regularly by epidurals, vacuum and forceps, inductions, etc.  I have seen brutal c-sections resulting in babies with terrible body trauma leaving them unable to breastfeed at all.  I had a mom with a 28 hour epidural who was told that the epidural meds were not a problem.choke!  Her baby showed NO interest in latching, rooting, feeding cues at all for over 4 weeks.  Second, moms are more and more likely to have just enough information to know that things shouldn't be that hard and are looking for help.  They find me on the web (approx. 50% of my clients now find me this way), through friends and family and on the hospital LC list (if they are lucky enough to get the list!).  Many find me as a last resort when no one else can help them - I am a damn good train wreck cleaner-upper now - sad to say.  Many of my babies are well over 3 weeks of age now.

 

So, I think it is a myriad of things that are causing us to see more of certain issues; moms have more information and look for help now, birthing practices damage moms and babies so they are looking for help, as our education grows on a personal level and we get better at what we do we see more of the challenging BF problems (I see basic L-O and positioning issues maybe once a month now - at most!).  I think the Universe (or whoever your deity is if you have one) sends us who needs us most, challenging many of us to increase our level of education and skill.  Had I known 14 yrs ago the level of skill I was going to need to help the moms I work with now I'd have walked away from this career out of fear feeling I'd be in way over my head and wondering just how I was going to get the education to deal with what I am now dealing with. 

 

So the big question for me is - how do we CHANGE this?  How do we change the establishment and help the babies and moms NOT need us?  I don't know.  I don't work in the hospital setting (it just wouldn't be pretty if I did.I'd get fired day 1 for telling some HCP off for giving out stupid and harmful
information!) and therefore have no clue what can be changed there.  For those of you who do work there - I applaud you for being able to do something I never could.  My part is when I talk to pregnant women I try to encourage them to do their research on healthier, safer birthing so that they can reduce the risk of NEEDING to see me after the baby is born.
Sometimes it works - sometimes not.

 

These are just some of my random thoughts.I know I have more but I'll give it a rest for now.  In just 2 hours I will be sitting down for a prenatal consult with a mom and dad who went through HELL with baby #1.  BF was an absolute nightmare as a result of HCP very poor and damaging information and LC's who simply told her to 'hang in there, it will get better' but didn't tell her WHY she was having the problems she was having.  She finally gave up and pumped for a couple months and then went on to formula.  It caused great pain for mom, dad and the marriage.  So, I get to help them heal from the past issues and address their fears for this next baby due in 6 weeks.I know I can help them.but darn it all - I shouldn't HAVE to - they shouldn't NEED this type of prenatal consult.  

 

Take care all - I am loving this discussion.

 

Jaye Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM

Breastfeeding Network

Sacramento, CA

www.breastfeedingnetwork.net

 


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