I have work in a hospital in the care of breastfeeding women for twenty
years. I also breastfeeded my own three children that are now
19,16 and 12. I have not given a breastfeeding infant a bottle in
my career and try to always pass on the most curreent info. Early
discharge was one of the largest problems presented to breastfeeding
mothers that my collegues and i ever came up against.
The first way we handled the problem was with a phone call at 24-48
hours after discharge. This was not meeting the need of most of
our patients. The nurse developed a nurse run clinic to support
breast feeding. Any patientwas offered an appointment but we did see
mostly patientsfor breastfeeding support. The baby got an official
weight in grans to satisfy MDS that were suggesting supplements.
We also had the oppertunity to speak to mom for an hour without
interuption about latch suck nipples sleep et al. At two months
a follow up call has shown 80% of the moms we saw were still
breast feeding.
All patients left with the name of a lc in the community. I will tell
all that are in their own practice that I find it easier to re-
commend people that I have heard at conferences tha I attend.
sorry for the lenght
judy panagotopulos rnc.