"Not enough time usually
to correct something that didn't get taught before leaving hospital."
I've been helping some RNs at our local hospital with breastfeeding
education, so I've been having them shadow me on the floor - PLEASE lets
not always blame them!
1. I walked into the room, the mother was dressed and ready to go - less
than 24 hours stay and we were going to see her because she had implants.
She had no time to talk to us, refused to stay even a little while longer
so I could help/observe/educate her.
2. Went to another room, mom couldn't stay for us to help - she needed to
have a cigarette - so she was going outside as smoking is not permitted in
the hospital.
3. Another room - homeless mom and her family there - she plans to
breastfeed, but she went to classes and knows what to do. No, she didn't
breastfeed her first child.
Funny - because of my OTHER hat, I was also the one calling these moms 3
days postpartum to see how they were doing. ALL THREE stated NO ONE had
been there to help them, the hospital nurses hadn't given them the time of
day, and had I not pointed out that they - all three - had my business
card, they would have said I'd never been in the room...
Yes, I did some follow-up, and two of the three are still breastfeeding
(the implant mom was referred to a private LC, so I don't know what
happened there). BUT - the problem was not just the hospital nurses. It's
a lot of problems with the system, our expectations, the rushed deliveries,
the cesareans, inductions, etc. Not ONE person's failure!
One admonition I will always remember I heard first from my son's preschool
teacher: "I promise not to believe everything I hear about what goes on at
home if you promise not to believe everything you hear about what goes on
at school."
Jeanette Panchula, BSW, LLLL, RN, IBCLC
Vacaville, CA
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