Dear All,
I am looking for suggestions for educating the staff of the mother-baby
unit and the pediatricians that one bottle of formula does harm the
baby.  When I tell them the usual that it may decrease the success of
breastfeeding, they blow me off.  The staff know that with a little help
from them or lactation, the baby will be able to latch again, so nipple
confusion or preference is a non issue in their minds. The prevailing
attitude is if a mother really wants to breastfeed they will succeed
even if the baby receives a bottle (or two).   The staff simply does not
buy Marsha's "Just one bottle".  The nurses and the pediatricians choose
not to believe that formula, when used only judiciously ( i.e. night
cluster feeds /exhausted mother, slight hyperbilirubinemia,cracked
nipples) is health risk.  This is transmitted  in many ways to the new
mothers and their families.  It leaves the lactation consultants looking
like extremists and puts in question their credibility. I guess I am
ranting, but ideally I would like some easy to understand,brief (amazing
how healthcare providers don't have time to learn anything new)  and
well researched studies on why we need exclusive breastfeeding for gut
closure.
Signed,
"Desperate in Miami" 
M Westra RN IBCLC
 

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