Sometimes I think that there are health care providers who equate the breast
to a bottle that can be inserted into a baby's mouth. Their focus is on
getting the breast in the mouth instead of assisting the baby to get into a
good position and helping the mother to learn how to help baby latch. It
takes time. Lots of time sometimes.
This topic is extremely useful, as it gives all of us who work with helping
mothers to breastfeed a time to examine our own practices and rethink the
scenario from a mother's point of view. I imagine all of us have room for
improvement. Especially when we see many mothers each day and have very
little time with each.
If there are hospital employees who practice in a way that leaves the mother
feeling angry and upset, the employee needs to know. They may not realize
that their practice is injuring the mother and the baby. Until they do know,
they will continue to practice in this way. If a hospital IBCLC knows of an
employee who is causing pain to a mother, perhaps she could address the
issue with the employee, and offer to teach a kinder and gentler way. If the
IBCLC is not comfortable with this or if the other employee does not respond
well to the offer, a meeting with the nurse manager on the floor may be
useful. Perhaps the employee could shadow the IBCLC for a day-taking a trip
"back to the well" to be refreshed in her outlook.
My daughter gave birth almost two years ago in a Baby Friendly Hospital. I
was extremely happy with much of her care. She had a c/section birth and her
baby was reluctant to latch, and then developed jaundice, but her baby was
never offered a bottle or formula, only breastfeeding encouragement. There
was one nurse in particular there though that would come in to her room,
reach over and grab my daughter's breast, and try to shove it into my
grand-daughter's mouth. My daughter was horrified. 20 months later she still
feels upset over this nurse's behavior. I asked her to find out the nurse's
name and to get the hospital IBCLC to talk to her, but she did not. She
attends support group at the hospital and when she sees that nurse, she says
she still feels angry. From her experience, I realize just how damaged a
woman can feel after this kind of "intervention."
I doubt that those nurses who are "helping" mothers breastfeed even
know that there is a better way. Sometimes their way does work, and if the
mother says nothing, how can they know? The breast is not an object to be
inserted into baby's mouth so that feeding can be achieved and charted. The
breastfeeding relationship is much more sensitive and much more of an art.
It involves two people who are learning this art together. That is why the
IBCLC credential is all about learning not just the mechanical technique of
breastfeeding but the art of breastfeeding as well.
Ann Calandro, RNC, IBCLC
(proctoring the exam tomorrow, and wishing the best to each and every
candidate. Take the evening off. Get some sleep. Eat breakfast! I'll see the
Charlotte NC candidates tomorrow bright and early!)
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