Dear Lactneters,
I am in need of your expertise. The hospital where I work is asking
the question, "Do staff need to wear gloves when helping a mother
breastfeed?" For many staff, this feels uncomfortable. It makes
breastfeeding feel "dirty" or at the very least, cold and impersonable. I
don't want to jeopardize the safety of my staff but don't want to do
anything that will discourage the staff from helping a breastfeeding mother.
What is your practice and do you have any recommendations? If anyone has
references and literature to back up their practice, please send. Thanks,
Sheryl Mulder, Perinatal Staff Educator for Butterworth Hospital