Lee wrote:
 
<<I am more inclined to  "first do no harm"
than some of the medical professionals on the team.   I expect them to have
minimal knowledge about breastfeeding so that they do  NOT cause any harm.>>


 
Excellent post, Lee.  Yes,  we do need to be team players -- all of us.  
 
Let's see:  what I've  dealt with this week (and this week alone):
 
1.  A night nurse who  insisted she take the baby to the nursery and give 
formula because the baby  wanted to "eat all the time."  (It was the baby's 
'second night' -- guess  what was going on.)  Fortunately, mom said absolutely not. 
 The nurse  really didn't understand how that can undermine breastfeeding -- 
she was trying  to "take care" of the mother.
 
2.  A 6 day old, near  term baby who had lost weight:  the peds told mom that 
she was to  breastfeed, and after each feed alternate between giving the baby 
3 ounces of  pedialyte and three ounces of formula.
 
3.  A 7 day old, near term  baby who was jaundiced.  Peds told the parents 
that while mom could  continue to breastfeed, she was to follow with two ounces 
of water to "flush"  the bilirubin out.  
 
4.  A first time mom with  a questionable milk supply.  Her OB gave her a 
prescription for 90 tablets  of 10 mg Reglan, (mom was to take it three times a 
day) to be refilled at least  twice, and told her she would probably have to 
take it for the entire time she  was breastfeeding.  Mom has a history of mild  
depression....
 
In all but the first case,  breastfeeding was "encouraged" but the 
information and instructions given to the  mom were off kilter.  In cases two and three, 
not a lot of harm done, in  case 4, it could have been a real problem.  
Fortunately mom decided on her  own that she couldn't tolerate the Reglan after a 
week, so d/c it, and is going  to take More Milk Plus instead.  Since the IBCLC 
is not to suggest  alternatives, we will leave it as unsaid who might have 
suggested that to  her.  
 
These were all moms that came  through my private practice, not through the 
pediatric practice where I am their  IBCLC -- and where I am treated as a 
valued team member by all the physicians  and all the nurses on staff.  It is a 
wonderful job, and I love it.   I've not burned out with that piece of it yet, 
even after nearly 19 years with  the group.
 
 Jan Barger

_Lactation Education  Consultants_ 
(http://www.lactationeducationconsultants.com/)  





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