I just have to share my frustrations at tow BF mismanagement recently.

Case one.  Omaha, Nebraska hospital.
Patient:  My 27 yo niece second baby nurse the first for 6 months
Baby was a couple weeks early, and she was bothered by panic attacks in late pregnancy that a psych prescribed Xanex for her (which was very effective). After the routine vaginal delivery, she was told by the OB and the LC that she could not BF because she was taking the Xanex, yet she never took it for the three days she was in the hospital!!  The OB says, "If you want to nurse later, we can give you Reglan to bring your supply back.  The "LC" gave her a good quality hand pump. but did not show her how to use it, never used it in the hospital and did not tell her how often to use it.  I come on the scene 4 days later, for a social call,  her breasts are engorged and tender.  And I tell her, "you need to get milk out of your breasts or you are going to have more trouble and you will not be able to nurse later."  I also told her that one half of a .25 mg Xanex tablet was not a reason to prevent nursing.  She did pump some to soften the breast and the baby did get to nurse some, but I had to leave so I don't know what the status is now.


The second one was a patient of mine that my partner sent to the fetal maternal specialist when her water broke at 31 weeks.  The baby delivered at 4 pounds and had to be on the vent for a while and is still in the hosp now 2 weeks later.  Second baby, mom nursed the first one a couple of months.  Anyway I see her today for a 2 week postpartum check and ask if she is pumping milk for her preemie, and she says, Somebody asked me about this at the hospital before I had the baby, but afterwards nobody said anything to me.

GEEESH!!!  What step of the BFHI did they not follow on this case?  Well I called the LC at the hospital and said, "Mom is coming back today to visit her baby, maybe you want to meet with her and see if we can rescue any mother's milk here?"  The LC was deeply apologetic and said nobody sent the mom to her.  I think the PEDS resident taking care of the baby missed the boat and got so wrapped up in the high tech treatment of the infant that he forgot some of the fundamentals.

Oh well, so much ignorance, so little time!!!

Jon Ahrendsen 
Becky Ahrendsen
Clarion, Iowa