I need to get on my soap box for a minute and I know this crowd will hear me
out.
This week I was working with a second time Mom and the breastfeeding was
going well.  I was informed by the nursery staff that the baby had dropped 13
oz (the baby is only 36 hours old).  I told them it must be a scale error.
They insisted it was not and that the baby was not getting enough.  They
called the pedi and word was out that the Mom would have to supplement.  I
checked the orders and all that was written was for a LC visit and I could do
that!  I observed and charted; the baby swallowing, fontanels were normal,
skin turgor good and mucous membranes moist.  Also the baby had voided 6
times and stooled 4 times since birth.  Mom was concerned with what the staff
had said so we agreed she would nurse more.
The next day a different staff said it was a scale error but the pedi was in
the nursery and wielded on me for not agreeing with her recommendation to
supplement.  I tried first to get a rational of why a baby at 36 hours could
lose so much weight knowing what is the normal intake.  Her responce was she
did not care what the literature said.  Then I tried to reason with the other
physical findings on this baby and she just kept focussing on the reported 13
oz weight lose and that she had to act on that, which was for the mother to
supplement.  Then I said the mother had increased nursing why would that not
be acceptable and she said that was not the orders she wanted.
When I went to see the mother and informed her that the weight was OK she
told me the staff had come in during the evening asking her why she was not
supplementing.  She said I don't want my baby to get formula.
I love my job because I know who I advocate for, BUT trying to reason with so
called intellegent professionals drives my blood pressure up.  I want to make
it very clear to this group that I do not feel all maternity nurses are like
this or pediatricians but the few bad apples sure do stink up the whole group
sometimes!
Thanks for letting me vent and if any of you wise ones know of a way to teach
this small group correct information, I would love the help.
Ann Perry, RB IBCLC
Boston, MA

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