Dear Jan, As usual, I loved your post- such insightful observations! Your
comments regarding the lack of problems surrounding breast feeding in a birth
center struck a chord with me as well. Having delivered my first 2
children;12 & 15yrs. ago at a free standing birth center and then taking a
job there as an RN for several years, I have a few comments. One interesting
aspect was that we never had anyone who didn't breast feed. I had heard a few
women who were either on the fence about it or were sure they were planning
to bottle feed but decided to change once delivered. One woman whose delivery
I attended was particularly adamant about her choice to bottle feed, had
obviously approached several times about it during her prenatal care by the
midwives but the midwife didn't back down from her not so subtle wooing
techniques! She enlisted my help and we made such a fuss about not "knowing
what type of formula to use, we had none in the house, how much? etc" that
she finally gave in saying "alright I'll try!". Of course having the baby
skin to skin, on her chest and rooting at the time also made the case quite
clearly. Interestingly, she was choosing not to because of her bad
experience with her first, also delivered at the birth center.
Even at the birth center there was a clear lack of breast feeding expertise
on the part of the midwives. The approach being very hands off, let Mom and
baby work it out. This, of course, worked some of the time but in many cases
resulted in premature weaning and worse...we had one woman whose nipple was
actually sloughed off d/t poor positioning! I, as a matter of fact, became
interested in helping nursing women after the difficult experience I had
nursing my first and the resulting realization, once all worked out, that
there was actually a lot some one with expertise could have done to help me
through the trying time.
Lynn Shea Rn,Bsn,Ibclc
Franklin,Massachusetts
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