It is a very sad thing, but a reality that we all deal with, that money will often determine the level of service.  So one of the things we all have to do is show them where the money is going.

Lactation services are incomparable value for the money.  There is excellent evidence on the savings ($$$$) in the health care of a breastfed infant versus an formula fed infant.  This relates mostly to the risk of various infections and the treatment of same.  In addition the evidence of more long term prevention of everything from childhood obesity to adult onset diabetes, is increasingly strong.  And on a slightly tangential note, let's not forget the IQ difference among breast and formula fed kids, and the difference in the child abuse stats.  

All that is for babies born at term.  The benefits increase for prems.

This strikes me as the most basic kind of preventive health care.  Breastfeeding itself is dirt cheap.  How does the cost of an LC compare to the cost of hospitalization, or several office visits plus meds and associated time off for parents?

A longish time ago there was resistance to having infection control staff, and using infection control practices.  That was until the stats proved that prevention was far cheaper than treatment.  Can you imagine any hospital without an infection control staff now?

We're going to have to find the evidence and then clout the appropriate people over the head with it.  

Judith

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