Remember the children's rhyme:
For want of a nail , the shoe was lost:
For want of the shoe , the horse was lost;
For want of the horse , the rider was lost;
For want of the rider , the battle was lost;
For want of the battle , the kingdom was lost,
This is one of my greatest frustrations. First, there is the issue that
moms wait so long for help becuase "everyone told me the latch was
fine". Then there is the issue that the mom doesn't know if she can
believe me when I tell her that the problem is latch--because this may
mean that other things she was told by the nurses, doctors or LC's was
also wrong. There is also the complex reality that the mom is often 5
days or more into breastfeedsing when she sees me and now we have
supply probelms, weight gain concerns, supplements to deal with and so
on--when the whole problem originated in an inefficient latch. The mom
is tired and may well feel that she is back at the beginning--this can
be so upsetting to her, that it may contribute to her decision that
"she has done enough and it is time to just enjoy her baby". The
cascade of events is in motion and it is hard for the mom to see her
way out.
So long as there is no accountability, this will continue as it does in
my community. Even in our "Baby Friendly Hospital"--moms are told by
nurses and IBCLCs that the latch is fine--when it is absolutely not
fine--one MUST watxh a baby latch on and come off the breast to assess
latch--looking in half-way through can be utterly useless.. But, there
is no accountability. Once you are Baby Friendly--then what? This is
why I have no respect for the BFHI as it is currenlty implemented and I
have no desire to see more hospitals achieve this status, when I know
that it ultimately may mean nothing at all to women and babies.
Anyway--the point is accountability. IMO, unless hospital staff are
held accountable for this desctructive behavior, it will continue. And
babies will be weaned, or those who aren't will have been subjected to
the harmful risks of AIM--"all for the want of a nail".
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
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