Esther:  We also have those idiotic gowns with the slits.  A previous director 
felt she was being very supportive of breastfeeding when she ordered them for 
the PP unit.  Moms actually prefer a regular hospital gown.  Our slit gowns, as 
well as the regular, do have snaps up the sleeves so that the gown can be 
removed if the patient has an IV.  We do baby-led latching quite a bit in our 
hospital.  I ask the mother to unsnap both sleeves of her gown while I am 
undressing the baby for her (diaper left on).  After her baby is on her chest, 
s2s, she can raise the front of her gown to cover baby's back.  I add a couple 
of receiving blankets folded in half to the baby's back and we are set.  The 
most comfortable and successful position for most moms is semi-reclined in 
bed.  For a vaginal delivery, mom doesn't have to sit on her sore bottom.  For 
a C-section delivery, baby is up off mom's incision.
Parents, grandparents, and other visitors are just amazed at watching their 
baby "perform"!  After discharge, many moms will call weeks or months later 
and tell me they are still doing s2s, as they have discovered that s2s is an 
excellent calming technique, even for an older baby.


Pam Hirsch, BSN,RN,IBCLC
Clinical Lead, Lactation Services
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Barrington, IL    USA

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