Mary Kay,
    I am in Arizona.  I have seen lots of this for the last 9 years of my
nursing practice. It is a phenomenon!  I call them members of the
NoLecheLeague!  I can do the role play of the Hispanic mom.  You ask her if
she is breastfeeding.  She shrugs, places her hand over her 'empty' breast,
squishing it to show you and says she wants to "but I have no milk" (no
leche).  I have tried and tried to come up with a respectful way to
encourage and suggest that breastfeeding is best if left to breastfeeding,
NOT bottles.  This problem is exacerbated by Hispanic nurses who also know
that they have 'NoMilk' after delivery!
    My current (and I speak Spanish,also), monologue is, "that's right, you
don't have much milk.  No mother at this point, right after delivery does."
I go on to tell that there IS milk in those breasts and that it is VERY
important milk.  It is full of protective ingredients that your baby needs
for a healthy beginning.  I tell them that their breasts make just enough
for the baby now and that amount will grow over the next few days, then she
will have no doubt about milk being there.  I share that the baby doesn't
need alot in the first day of life, but that as the suckling goes on the
milk grows and the baby's need does also.  I emphasize that it is the way
God ment for us to be. (most of them are Catholic and understand this
concept)  (Mother Nature's way)  I also tell them that bottles interfer with
how the baby learns to breastfeed and that she and the baby need lots of
practice together.
     Sometimes my story works, sometimes not.  It is a long one and I spend
more time with these women than others.  If the grandma or mother (of the
new mother)is in the room, many times there are those hurdles to get over as
well.  I think that it is a case of 3rd world country people looking into
the developed country and seeing this wonderful 'milk'(formula) and
believing that if we have it it must be better. Sometimes it's a very
ingrained in them.
    Incredibly enough, these moms will breastfeed, despite their poor start.
  When they get home, they breastfeed and I hear through the Peds offices
that they do breastfeed for long periods of time.  If you ask them what they
did with the other kids, they often say they breastfed for up to a year and
more!  So, it's a tough road for us L.C.'s but don't give up and try to keep
the respect high.  Tell as much of the story as possible and maybe get your
hands in there to help position, etc. (they tend to have babies hang off
their breasts) They need our support, there is a definite challenge there!
    Good luck.       Betsy Wells-Gephart, RN, IBCLC
                     Chandler, AZ    where it's up in the 70's
                                during  the day!
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html