Dear Lactnet friends and hospital colleagues,
I am an IBCLC from an LLL background who has been working for the past year in  a hospital setting doing one-on-one bedside care, teaching a daily 20 minute class, and supporting the NICU moms. We're a small 3000 births/year facility, and I have a half time position.This is the first time this hospital has had an LC position, and there has been tremendous resisitance, because "we've been helping women breastfeed for 30 years and what do we need an LC for?" Basically the obstetric staff wanted an LC and the pedis/neonatologists/newborn nursery head nurse didn't.

I just can't seem to keep out of trouble. This has been a very challenging year...

For example, I dared to explain to a woman who is in great pain during feeding that the words "tongue tie" that are written on her baby's chart may have something to do with the pain she is feeling, that it can be clipped, etc.
I got yelled at (again) for "overstepping my boundaries" and "creating chaos" (Mom went to the pedi and wanted tongue snipped asap).

Quotes that I heard today from the two pedis who I work under (all shouted, of course): 
"You just get those babies to the breast and don't get involved in anything that has to do with medicine!
Doesn't matter if the babies aren't *eating*! What's wrong with the woman being in pain? Childbirth is painful, too!
Informed consent? What's that?
The parents need information in order to come to an informed decision? What do you mean? *We're* in charge here!"

I basically swore on a stack of bibles today that I won't ever let the word "tongue tie" out of my mouth on the hospital premises.
 My choice is to shut up or be fired.

I feel so helpless, frustrated, not appreciated, looked down upon, (fill in the blank)...
And I thought that I had been making progress! I've handed out articles, sent links, offered to do inservices, etc.

How have any of you who have been there and done that managed when faced with such absurd work conditions?

I really have seen lots of women in pain, engorged, and with yellow babies where my hypothesis is that the tongue is restricted, and I haven't said *anything* to them. sigh.

Is it worth hanging in there to help all the others?

Thanks for listening,
Bracha Haskel IBCLC
Israel

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