Hi everyone

My apologies if this has already been mentioned, I have only been able to briefly scan Lactnet these past few weeks. There is a lot of talk about teaching hand expression in the postpartum period, but I wonder if this is the best time to teach this new (for some) skill. The postpartum period is a busy time, lack of sleep due to baby demands, staff demands and visitor demands. It's hard to retain all this new information that is being delivered to you every time a staff member walks into your room. 

I wonder if perhaps the best time to teach this isn't perhaps in early labour. There are times during most labours when time slows down and this sort of teaching can happen. Often visitors are more respectful of a labouring mother than a postpartum mother, so she has more privacy during labour, and since there isn't a baby to focus on, her attention won't be divided. 

Obviously not all labours are conducive to this sort of teaching, but for mom's who make contact with HCP's in early labour and are not having strong contractions, or mom's who opt for an epidural, I think there is plenty of time for this sort of teaching, and helps these mothers stay connected with the experience they are having. 

Sonya

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