I'm struggling to understand something this morning and want to bring it to
the group for feedback.
Here's the data: Between 2 area hospitals there are approx. 3,000 births per
year (and I'm being modest with this number). I think recent data reflects
on average that 80-85% of women are attempting to breastfeed, but I'll even be
modest with that number, so I'll slice it down to say 50%. Well, 50% of 3,000
= 1,500 babies/moms trying to breastfeed. Perhaps this'll account for those
women who don't experience any struggles with breastfeeding.
Now, let's say that an average initial consult takes 1.5 hours to complete,
that puts our data at 2, 250 hours of consult time.....based on a 40 hour work
week, that means I'd spend 56 weeks a year on consults....wait a
minute....there's only 52 weeks in a year you say? Wait a minute, I say, I don't choose to
work full-time, so that means a greater margin of error in meeting all of the
needs of the women who choose to breastfeed....okay, there are other sources
of LCs such as at the hospital settings. But, those LCs also have to help the
patients on the floor. Staffing a full-time FTE to see strictly outpatient
consults if base pay were $25/hr., which again is modest, then $25 X 2080 hrs.=
$52,000 annual salary.
I'm struggling to understand a few broad topics this AM that corresponds with
these numbers. 1.) Why do LCs tend to not want to refer a mom to other
resources in the community? 2.) Why do area doctors (of which there's approx. 50 of
them) think that 1-2 LCs can cover all of their patients' needs? The data as
I reflected upon the numbers this AM don't seem to support this feasibility.
These thoughts stem from a couple of consults I've got this week. One is the
mom who's baby wasn't latching and baby's doctor said keep on trying....if
the bili rises by Monday, we'll just start the bili blanket...no referral for
lactation assistance....the other consult is a mom who was talking on the phone
with an LC....she didn't want a consult from me...but, she called back in 2
days stating she's frustrated as to why her milk isn't in after a week and she
can't make it work with talking to the LC over the phone.....
Any thoughts about the data?
Carol Chamblin, RN, MS, IBCLC
Breast 'N Baby Lactation Services, Inc.
St. Charles, IL
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