"In my humble opinion, this is a terribly broken "system" if the nurses
really don't have time to do their jobs - and that includes assisting
breastfeeding mothers and babies!"
Linda - I do think it is a terribly broken system. Every time the hospitals
make cuts they seem to cut back on nurses. The nurses in several hospitals
here in Boston, where mergers are rampant, wear badges saying, "Every
patient deserves a nurse". One local hospital had 2 IBCLCs who due to staff
cuts are now back to staff nurse positions. When I had my babies in
hospital I was extremely grateful Dad was around because the nurses often
weren't. I don't blame the nurses for this, I blame far from perfect health
care system with its rocket-propelled discharge. In England, I believe,
it's almost unthinkable for Mom to be discharged 2 days postpartum and baby
stay in hospital. And I still worry about the moms in hospital who are
exhausted and have no support.
Anne Merewood