If you do not want to read my venting, just skip this post - but you are the
only ones who understand!!
I work as an LC (also sometimes staff nurse, CBE, or whatever else!!) in a
hospital that does 100 births/month.  I am proud to say that after 3 years
of hard work, our staff is finally coming around to supporting BF, and
really working with families (well, most of the time).  The docs are even
starting to trust me -- and we started cup feeding babies about 3 months ago
with great success (esp. in our special care nursery).
That's the good stuff, now the frustration.  I worked 2 days ago with a mom,
second baby, repeat C/S.  First baby, attempted BF and stopped because of
flat nipples, no help, etc.  This time, called me during pregnancy, wore
breast shells and came to BF class to discus positioning, etc.  I saw her
about 1 hour after C/S and baby would not latch on, just wanted to cuddle (I
don't blame her - she had been suctioned, etc.....).
Next morning, staff comes to me saying mom and dad are all upset - baby is
crying, will not latch on - I worked with them - baby would latch, suck a
few times and then scream.  I tried to reassure them and talked about
patience, skin-to-skin but dad was VERY hostile.  By the afternoon, he was
insisting baby be fed - so I cup fed her 2 oz of ABM (mom did not want to
pump!!) and she promptly fell asleep.  Two hours later, she woke up, latched
on and nursed very well all night.
Now, the real problem, after all this, this morning, mom is starting to get
sore nipples. Before I could get in to see her, the nurse from her OB office
came in to see her (she makes rounds just to visit every day) and when the
mom says her nipples are sore, the nurse say "Oh just bottle feed, it's just
as good and easier".  When mom told me this, I was livid!!
I have not talked to the office nurse, I need to calm down and
re-group....any suggestions on how to turn this negative into a postive (the
good thing, mom and baby are happily BF and dad is happy now!).
Last thing, this mom also told me today that all during her pregnancy, she
worried about the baby having "Down's" because a member of her familiy  has
a child with "Down's".  Her insurance would not pay for an amnio - and she
could not afford the $2,500 it would cost. She was afraid to ask any of the
nurses if the baby looked "OK", for fear of the answer.  She finally trusted
me enough to ask me and when I told her the baby was fine - she cried and I
saw her whole attitude toward the baby change.
An amazing day - sorry this is so LONG.  Thanks for listening.
Dianne Kemp RN, CCE, IBCLC
Port Huron, Michian