This is my first time posting a comment on my experience as a NBN RN and
(soon to be a year certified) IBCLC.  I have  worked with babies off and on
since 1982.  I have 4 children of my own and am homeschooling all four!  So,
my time for working is severely limited.  But, I do work a few days a week.
    Here's my one of many frustrations.  I have found that yes, not only do
we live in a "bottlefeeding culture", but (at least in this part of the
U.S.), having a baby is apparently a time of social explosion.  I may be
exaggerating, but I am getting to my point.  I have difficulty encouraging
moms to put their babies to the breast often because they have so MANY
visitors!   The family and an enteurage(?sp) of other well-wishers rush into
the ldr room practically before the parents have had time to "breathe" after
the birth. Needless to say, the alert, rooting baby is left to wait for its
first feed! The steady stream of friends, family, etc. continue after the
mother is transferred to postpartum  Most of the parents encourage this
intrusion.
    A solution may be to educate the public re:benefits and need for early
bf.  Implementing this is bigger than I am able to do.The moms in our city
often get very little information prenatally from their OB's re:bf. We have a
larger # of parents now,  who have taken a bf class; but, still a startling #
of new moms come unprepared. Our LDR staff is very slowly catching on to the
importance of early (immediate) bf.
    So, how have other bf advocates dealt with this problem?  Any creative
ideas?
            Thanks,
                            Mary Murray, RN, IBCLC

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