Our breastfeeding initiation rate hovers around 75% - that's those who go
home from the hospital breastfeeding, as we're so small (300-350 births a
year - anyone else booming this year?) that we often just change the book if
the mom switches before leaving.

Laurie, you're right - even the other nurses, not just the LC's, will say,
"well, she says she's going to breastfeed....." We certainly try to capture
all those iffy gals, BUT....I have sometimes reverted to Coach Smith's #1
Rule even though it wasn't supposed to be for these situations.

Just last week I had a supposedly breastfeeding mom who just wouldn't
breastfeed her (2nd) baby. Thank God the hospital employs me to actually
spend time with mothers - there used to be times when we would've said, "Oh
she's an experienced breastfeeding mother, things will be fine in that
room" - not realizing she nursed last time for _three days._   In fact, the
mother was not feeding that baby, nor was she holding her. Just sticking a
dummy into her mouth!

When she informed me that the breastfeeding "just wasn't working" I spent a
good bit of time watching her bottle feed. Her older child was one odd
little cookie and it was heartwrenching to watch the terrible family
dynamics!! (Which comes first, the child who doesn't look you in the eye
ever or the baby who is fed looking away from you? How do formula fed babies
do if they're fed off and on non-stop for hours on end from the same -
gradually very gross - bottle and nipple? Is it ignorance, low intelligence,
poor parenting skills, non-compliance - Remind me again why I love working
with people!)

As for c/s and changing to a bottle -- again, so many factors to consider!
Our c/s moms breastfeed after as fast a recovery as we can do (almost all
therefore feed before two hours), and they have unlimited access thereafter
as long as there's help in the middle of the night (ie dads or relatives).
But what with PCOS, ??obesity related challenges -- and again, what came
first? The dysfunctional uterus or the 350 or 400 pound mom?? The
breastfeeding challenges or the c section? Well that's clear - but the
etiology is not!

Uh oh - didn't know this would be a rant on the unpredictability of human
beings!

It's so good to have Lactnet where we can have these discussions. I feel
blessed that we are still doing normal births here so I can say with
confidence, "this is what it's like under normal conditions!"

Dawn Kersula
Weeping wailing and gnashing her teeth in beautiful Southern Vermont - where
the daffodils and forsythia are breathtaking!

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