Diane pontificates on the 18 pages of responses she got from those of us who
breastfed a generation ago.....
<<A generation ago, our babies just did it. Not one of these stories =
is about a baby who failed to take the breast, or about a mother who had =
to learn special skills in order for her baby to succeed, or about a =
mother who knew much of anything at all! >>
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In 1974, my first baby just "did it." In 1978, my second baby just "did
it." In 1984, my third baby, born at home with no intervention couldn't get it.
Took him (notice, he was a he) 5 days to latch.....never figured out
why.....but God has a sense of humor -- Timothy is the reason I'm a lactation
consultant....some of you may have "met" him via the e-Globe this month....
But I digress. Actually, I was thinking about my RN-nursing past, not my
breastfeeding-nursing past when Diane wrote the above. And it occurred to me
that I have been working in the same hospital since 1982. Back then (how long
ago it seems), when I would make "breastfeeding rounds," very few of the
mothers were having problems. "No, everything is fine" they would almost all
say. A few had sore nipples, a few were engorged if they stayed long enough --
but mostly the babies latched. You might remember that 1982 was the peak
year from breaastfeeding back then -- some 62% of our moms initiated
breastfeeding -- way up from the 25% of just 8 years prior.
Fast forward to my making rounds today -- same hospital. Virtually every
mom is having problems of some kind, and those that aren't are totally
surprised that they aren't. We have a large -- and excellent lactation staff. I
work as the IBCLC for a peds practice and make rounds in this hospital where,
back in 1982, I worked for the hospital itself.
So, what has changed? As far as I can tell, what has changed primarily is
the use of epidurals. In 1982 the moms had a pudendal block or a paracervical
block. Or nothing. Or a spinal or general for a C/Section. Today it is
rare if a mother doesn't have an epidural, and isn't either induced (my
favorite is the "impending macrosomia" diagnosis) or have a C/Section. And the
mothers are having problems with breastfeeding. Lots of problems. Lots of
flattened out nipples. Lots of babies that don't seem to know what to do. Lots
of impatience with letting babies wait and take their time. Lot's of "wake
the baby up every two hours..."
We also seem to have, as Diane pointed out, a lot of rules about
breastfeeding. Frankly, I think if it sounds like a rule, it is probably wrong. No one
comes in and tells the mother that if she doesn't eat lunch for at least 12
minutes she isn't going to get enough calories. But how many mothers are
told they have to nurse at least X number of minutes on (pick one: one side,
both sides) for the baby to get enough. How did minutes get into the eating
picture anyway? (Rhetorical question, I don't want an answer -- I know it all
too well).
Back in my old alternative birthing center days before I moved to Chicago,
our moms in the birthing center didn't have much problem with breastfeeding
either. I remember one or two babies that didn't latch -- and I don't remember
the plethora of tongue tie that we are seeing -- not just the overwhelming
number of posterior -- but even the type 1 & 2 that we see so much of.
So -- is the problem TOO much education/information? Too many rules to go
along with too many birth interventions? By the way, my Jill (1974) wasn't
brought to me for breastfeeding until she was 16 hours old -- 12 hours of NPO,
and then 4 hours to make sure she could tolerate the 1 ounce of water they
gave her before they would let her nurse. I remember being woken out of a
sound sleep at 4:00 in the morning (having finally GONE to sleep at 3:00 am) by
some nurses' aide -- "Well, ya wanted to breastfeed, didn't ya? Here she is."
I must have taught the breastfeeding piece in the school of nursing where I
taught OB '72-74, but I certainly don't remember what, if anything, I
actually TAUGHT.
You've brought up some wonderful questions, Diane....
Yes -- what has changed?
Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC, FILCA
Lactation Education Consultants
_www.lactationeducation.com_ (http://www.lactationeducation.com/)
**************Need a job? Find an employment agency near you.
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