In a message dated 9/3/1 3:52:17 PM, [log in to unmask] writes:

<< The terrible story of a few days ago represents the bad medicine and not
the
results of early discharge.  Virtually every single baby will benefit from
leaving the hospital as soon as possible with good follow up by a lactation
consultant and caring physician. >>

Thank you, Jay for saying this. On Memorial Day weekend (last weekend in May
in the US) I had a Friday referral from a community health center for a mom
with no money to pay who really needed help. I saw the mom that night. Baby
was just discharged the day before and had never (I really mean never)
latched on. The doctor who referred the mom was bemoaning the fact that he
had tried to get the insurance company to keep the mom another day and they
wouldn't. (He had the mom supplement with AIM in a bottle when he saw her,
but at least made the referral). Well, what was another day in that hospital
with terrible care going to get the mom, I asked him (okay, in nicer words).
Anyway, we immediately supplemented the baby (with breastmilk at the breast),
but the parents weren't committed at that point to pumping, supplementing and
dealing with sleepy baby problems (they liked it that she slept a lot) and
quit after a couple of days. (The kicker for me was that I felt they really
needed more support from the doc and that he needed to have them come in
right away for another follow-up (Monday, holiday or not), b/c I was truly
concerned at their lax attitude towards feeding the baby, but he refused b/c
it was a holiday weekend and he was off until Wednesday!). I always tell moms
to get home ASAP--longer hospital stays in my community are of no benefit to
breastfeeding. (Of course, deliveries where no driving is required at all are
even better for successful breastfeeding!)
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

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