On the story of Ms Maseko, and her son, I have been waiting to post until I 
had good news,  I bring mixed news, and I am exhausted, and hope you will 
bear with me in this missive.  In truth, I am crying my eyes out and am so 
bone weary I can barely sit and type.

Ms Maseko has given permission for me to post.

Ms Maseko was removed from her two week old, exclusively breastfed son, two 
weeks ago.  In that time, she has had no lactation support in maintaining  
her supply.  I have examined her breasts, and she has milk.  She has 
expressed a few drops from each breast.

Tomorrow, she will be reunited with her son, now 4 weeks old and will 
attempt to continue nursing.  He has been bottle fed powdered infant 
formula.

The private medical company contracted to provide health care by the UK 
Government at Yarl's Wood detention centre, where Ms Maseko is being 
detained, has refused all help and support from lactation consultants, 
agencies, support groups and pressure groups, in helping Ms Maseko at this 
vital first meeting.  Despite being innudated with phone calls and letters 
point out that lactation specialism is required prior to this meeting, and 
pro-active plans put in place to prevent further trauma, both the Government 
and SERCO Health have stated that 'adequate provision' will be given.  They 
refuse to state precisely what this is, and have said a 'midwife' will be 
present.  They refuse to state what lactation credentials this unnamed 
midwife has  and have stated openly that they will observe what happens, and 
if there is a problem, call in appropriate help afterwards.  they have been 
told, repeatedly, of the potential catastrophe that is being set in motion.

There is a history of inaction and neglect in healthcare by the Government 
at Yarl's Wood, as this is a matter of both public record and political 
inquiry.

The case of the failure to protect Ms Maseko's milk supply, when she was 
illegally removed from her son to be detaineed has been handed to a top firm 
of solicitors who have agreed to work on her behalf.    They are also 
working on how to claim on Ms Maseko's son's behalf, as removal of his 
mother's milk, and breast, is a breach of his human rights.

From the posting of this email, we have about 13 hours to help try and 
change the first meeting in terms of lactation support.  The powers at be on 
this, kept us all hanging on in hope that we would be allowed access to the 
meeting tomorrow, in order to support the dyad properly.  Near the close of 
business UK time, we found out their plans to exclude everyone and to refuse 
to disclose what plans had been made and what personnel is in place.  They 
were working, no doubt, on how we had all gone home by then... they didn't 
know about LactNet....

Please take the time to read the following, and to write a letter to the 
people named.  I know you are all busy people, and an hour out of today may 
be impossible for you.  I understand that.  I also know that some of you may 
manage it.

If you can think of others who could also manage it, but who may not have 
read this email in time - could you spend a moment to phone them and alert 
them?  In particular, the 'big guns'?

Thank you

Morgan Gallagher

- - - - - - - -

What we need from the Lactation Specialists this night....

Before I drop unconsious, I felt I had to make it clear what I feel we need 
to happen between now and Ms Maseko being reunited with her children 
tomorrow.

The UK Government, in the shape of Liam Byrne, needs to be contacted by 
every lactation specialist on this cc list, and from as far afield as we can 
manage in such a short time.  They need to express how they feel in their 
own professional standing, about the plans for Ms Maseko to be re-united 
with her infant son, without clear resources to faclitate re-latching 
successfully in place, and a sensitive and experienced hand to assess her 
needs and act accordingly in the immediate term.

They need to offer their professional advice on the minimum required to be 
in place for the meeting - such as someone who understands baby led 
latching, an SNS in place if Colin does attempt to latch etc.  This needs to 
made clear in precise professional terms, including professional opinion on 
the possible effects on Colin if the immediate relatching attempts go badly: 
such as explaining that if trauma results from lack of such, Colin may never 
successfully re-establish nursing.  This could also include professional 
opinon on the possible problems that may arise tomorrow, such as nipple 
confusion already being present, a breast aversion already being in place 
etc... and how these must have been planned for _in advance_.  How 
psychological support must be available for Ms Maseko if Colin does refuse 
her breast etc.

You know your stuff people.  You know the risks invovled, and the dangers 
the dyad is facing: let the Government know in no uncertain terms what needs 
to be done medically pro-activally, not as a reactive "it didn't work so 
we'll think on who to call in now" basis.

Further, we need said letters to be in the hands of the Government before 
re-uniting takes place, so that the Maseko's human rights can be upheld if 
it subsequently emerges that re-latching and lactation has failed.  My 
thinking on this is that if we prove categorically that the Government were 
told enough times, by enough qualified medical personnel, what they must put 
in place to protect the Maseko dyad - and they fall short and the dyad 
fails... we have recourse to prove they failed the dyad and attempt to hold 
them legally responsible for the failure.

I will respost this into Lact-Net this evening, and ask for international 
support of such.  In terms of the world clock profle, we have a lot of 
daytime left for some of the greatest in our field.

I ask everyone else propagate as they can.  If we can get them to listen and 
act before the babies arrive at Yarl's Wood, then maybe it's not to late for 
the dyad.

Letters need to be hard copy, emails and faxes.  Thus we can track delivery 
and hand over information to Ms Maseko's solicitors that the powers that be 
were informed in time.  I'm sure many of you will offer your services for 
tomorrow's meeting, free of charge.

Apologies for the lateness of requesting such work, at such speed.  In 
truth, I'm a little punch drunk by events and I apologise if this either 
muddled, or ill founded on my behalf.  I believe that we can do no harm in 
undertaking this task, and may acheive an excellent result for the dyad.

cc's of all comminications to Liam Byrne should be lodged with bwrap for 
compiling for the solicitors.  cc's direct to SERCO would be an extra 
security blanket: they cannot claim not to know either.

Liam Byrne MP, Minister for State for Nationality, Fax 0207 035 4745
Address: Citizenship & Immigration Home Office, 3rd Floor, Peel Building,
2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P DO     [log in to unmask]

Serco Group PLC, Sergo House, 16 Bartley Wood Business Park, Bartley Way, 
Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9UY   tel, 01256 745900, fax 01256 744111  
[log in to unmask]

Black Woman's Rape Action Project
Crossroads Women's Centre, 230a Kentish Town Road, London NW5  2AB, mail to 
POBox 287 NW6 5QU  tel (020) 7482 2496  fax (020)7209 4761   
[log in to unmask]  www.bwrap.dircon.co.uk

Morgan Gallagher

_________________________________________________________________
The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk

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