>I would like to ask all lactnetters to chime in, what kind of followup
program is available in your community?  I think the followup program has
been so important and helpful.< 

In the UK, women may leave hospital as early as 6 hours after their baby is 
born, but midwives are in charge of care until 10 days (this can be extended 
if need be).  Community midwives (in some areas these may be the same people 
as work in te hospital, usually not) visit at home over these 10 days -- 
with cuts, etc, this has become patchier.  In my day (children 21 & 19) it 
was pretty much daily -- and when I had my baby at home, I got TWO VISITS A 
DAY from the midwife -- one specific midwife -- oh bliss, oh rapture, oh a 
service which felt respectful and *adequate*.  NOw it can be very hit and 
miss. 

At 10 days or so, a health visitor appears -- may have made an appointment 
by phone, for the initial visit, around an hour, where she weighs the baby 
and gives info about the child health clinics in the area.  She may visit at 
home again, depending on needs identified (again, this is becoming 
patchier).  From then on, the HV is invovled withthe family until the child 
is 5 years old, and women can go to the clinic for whatever tehy offer -- at 
minimum weighing and immunisations and helath checks, some have groups, etc. 

Doesn't it sound great?  As a USAian immigrated into this country, I thought 
wow, how fabulous, until I realised that health visitors knew nothing much 
about breastfeeding and the weighing clinic is pretty much like your local 
cattle market -- pen em up and weigh em and hose em down and out.  Years 
later, as a researcher I reentered the clinic and sadly failed to change 
this assessment. 

It may be great to have the contact, but to have the wrong sort of contact, 
focussed on weight gain and ensuring that your baby is 'good' and meets the 
norms of society in terms of sleep etc.  How does that help??????????? 

Magda Sachs, PhD
Breastfeeding Supporter, The Breastfeeding Network, UK 

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