Margie,
The only thing I can tell you - as I have not yet succeeded
in being Baby-Friendly - is to be patient and just as you
are with your moms, do not expect them to KNOW what to do,
do not expect them to CHANGE just because you said so, and
understand that they have their own history which may
cause you much frustration...
Create a work group with as wide a variety of people as
possible - nurses, doctors (ped, ob, nicu),physical therapy,
dietician, public relations, human resources,
administration. (Some of my best allies are the
secretaries of the administrator, medical director and
the nursing supervisor)
Eventually, as changes occur, do not take CREDIT for
everythig that is good and do not take the BLAME for
everything that does not go as well as you had hoped.
Most of all, find something you really enjoy to do every
week - whether it is seeing a mom, run a support group, or
write an article.
I really get a kick out of going to the floor and meeting
the moms - especially ones I haveve NOT been asked to see,
as those can be very frustrating. The other day I went
into a room and was greeted by "hi Ms. Panchula" - of
course I did not remember this mom and her very happy
husband. But they remembered me and the help I had given
them during the birth of their TWO previous children
(I have only been here since 1994).
She is Tandem Nursing all three... And this on an island
with a breastfeeding rate well below 15% at 6 weeks...
No, everything is not perfect at our hospital, but some
moms go home very happy...
Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC, LLLL
Puerto Rico
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