Regarding pumping protocols, here in Australia most units are moving towards
having excellent protocols about breastfeeding.  The implementation of
course is very much an individual charge person or midwife thing.  Most of
the protocols I have seen recommend feeding or expressing as soon as
practicable after delivery.  this is whether the delivery is surgical or
normal.  As I am a zealot,  I encourage people(or do myself) to assist
mothers who have had operative deliveries very soon. Either in recovery -
depending on staffing, size of unit, workload etc,  or as soon as they hit
the ward - and once again sadly, work load can interfere.  I am actually
keen on hand expression for the first day or so - reckon we are so
mechanically minded a bit of 'hands on' is a welcome change.  My experience
is that women are quite pleased that the process is started. Occasionally
someone may ask if it can be done 'later', but the majority love to think
that they are mothering their sick or premature babies (if we have to
express) even though they can't hold them at that time.  for those that can
feed, it depends, I guess, on how it is presented whether they see it as an
imposition or a life avowing act of mother love - as Katherine so eloquently
said "the baby's first immmunisation"........

and Jack, you mentioned that you hear the 'same thing' (ie, not wanting to
put babies to the breast for days after delivery) about Aboriginal women.
Are these Austalian Aboriginal women you are referring to?   My experience
would indicate that Australian Aboriginal women are totally happy to
breastfeed straight away (allowing for individual differences).  Do others
have any contrary experience to this?

Thanks, Carolyn