Karen Taylor RN IBCLC
> P.S.  When explaining positioning over the phone, I can now position the
phone
> and a pretend baby while holding my breasts at the same time.  I
understand
> that I am entertaining to watch while on the phone:) Good luck again with
your
> new program.
>

This statement reminded me of a recent situation. I tend to use my own
breast (clothed) to demonstrate positioning and correct grasp of the breast
tissue. So when I am doing a phone consult, it is second nature to grasp my
breast or even massage my breast, as I'm describing the action to the
mother on the other end of the phone. In our small hospital, staff is
utilized judiciously; when our OB department is closed (rare occurance) the
RN is often assigned as House Float, to help out where ever there is a
need. One night I was helping out in the ER, a car accident had resulted in
3 serious injuries so we had several EMTs, Firemen and Police Officers
sitting around the ER desk, writing their reports. As the OB nurse, a call
was forwarded to me from one of our patients who had gone home that day.
Here I was, sitting in the middle of all these men, handling my breast in
an effort to express my thoughts to the mother on the other end of the
phone; I was so absorbed in the conversation that I wasn't even aware of
the audience. I honestly  don't know (or care) what their reaction was.
When the phone call was over I returned to the ER patient I was caring for
and never gave it a second thought, until now.
 I firmly believe that if we want women, and the general public, to start
seeing the female breast for what it really is (the preferred source of
nutrition for our young, rather than the sexual icon society has made it)
we need to be more matter of fact and less self conscious in our approach.
Mary A. Banaszewski RN, Lactation Specialist