I did a lot of research this year on bonding, because I was asked to speak
about it at a LLL conference, and over the past 6 months I have been putting
babies skin to skin after birth in the delivery room whenever I get to go,
and I have been noticing some things I wanted to share.  I used to see
babies always in their little beds all bundled up when I went in to see the
moms.  Now I see more and  more moms holding their babies, snuggling them ,
many of them skin to skin, in the two days after birth.  The research kept
saying that moms would hold the babies more if they have this bonding time,
that they would breastfeed more successfully and for longer, and I think I
am seeing this too.  I have noticed some of the L&D nurses beginning to do
this as well.
Yesterday I saw it with a 17 year old. I took her little one in and put him
skin to skin. He had not been nursed after delivery (5 am), but I took him
in at 9 and put him with mom, and came back in a while to help her put him
to breast.  She loved this!  She did not want to dress him in his shirt or
put him back in his bed.  Her mom came in and told her she was going to have
to put him down, that holding him was bad for him and would spoil him.  She
just smiled and held him close and said, I like it this way. It was really
very beautiful and gratifying to see this bonding going on.

And I have to brag a bit too. Our hospital puts out a quarterly
newspaper-large color  4 page glossy publication that is sent to the whole 3
county area.  On page one was a feature article about breast cancer.  It
mentioned breastfeeding as a way to help prevent breast cancer. On page two
was a long article about ear infections. The ENT mentioned that the number
one way to prevent ear infections was to breastfeed the infant and child.
Page three was a community calendar, mentioning all the classes and support
groups we do. Page 4 was an interview with our new director of the women's
center, who had a whole paragraph about the lactation center and how
important breastfeeding is! I couldn't believe it but breastfeeding was
mentioned on every single page of the newspaper.  Hopefully this will get
some parents thinking about  breastfeeding,and may help boost our
breastfeeding rates, which continue to be lower than average.

Ann Calandro,RNC,IBCLC
Piedmont Medical Center
Rock Hill, SC