I have been reading with interest all the comments on the differenct
slants on these subjects, and thinking back on my hospital experiences
three decades ago. I'm sure were my hospital still open, someone would
have had to "reinvent the wheel" many times over since I left. Staff
turnover, includeing physician staff, is a reality, even though very
slow. This can work for better breastfeeding policies and practices or
erode them as the case may be, for new staff bring along both
professional and personal experiences.

Arly Helm described the internal culture and politics of the OB
department I knew, especially the 'fiefedom' of the night duty nursery
nurses, and most especially the NICU night nurses, to a T, as if she had
been a former night shift nurse instead of a nutritionist.

One small thing I have not noticed in these posts is the possibility of
postpartum group information sharing. Because I knew I couldn't
physically get to all the nursing mothers every day, I instituted
'Nursing Mothers' Circle" from 10-11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
This was often enough that many of the mothers could manage to attend
before their discharge 48 hours after birth. Many would put off going
home till after the meeting.

Staff seemed quite willing to assist mothers to wheel their babies to the
Mother's Lounge, and though my groups never got near as big as those of
Esther Grunis in Tel Aviv, when mother's come together voluntarily,
especially if the experienced (read 'many LLL educated') mothers could be
persuaded to attend, much positive information could be shared and the
casual use of the phrase "some physicians . . . ." allowed a much freer
exchange of information than one might feel politically correct (or safe)
to say at a mother's bedside.

Jean
************
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA

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