I was truly appalled at the "routine" hospital policies described in the
last digest.  I think the father who shouted that he would sue the hospital
for malpractice has it *exactly right*.  The baby belongs to the parents,
not the hospital!  The prenatal classes should be very explicit about what
the hospital policies are and how each one intereferes not only with
breastfeeding but with the parents rights to have their baby with them at
all times.  Then the parents need to talk to their doctors and have not only
a signed "birth plan" for the birth itself, but a signed copy of "postnatal
care" for the baby (both ob/gyn and peedy should be in on this).  The
parents should INSIST that the baby NEVER leave their sight, not for any
reason.  If the baby has to go to intensive care, the dad should go along.
For a normal birth/normal baby, there is no reason for the baby to be
separated from the mother.  Newborns do not need baths.  Newborns do not
need to be "observed" in a bright, noisy nursery far from the sound, smell,
sight, and touch of their mother.  This is ridiculous.  Sorry -- you pushed
my buttons, big time.  Not you, but the hospital policies.  These are the
kind of hospitals where you NEED to get those mothers out and home as soon
as possible after birth!  Can you sit down with the powers that be and find
out their reasoning behind such practices as "teaching the baby to use a
pacifier"?  If they are the ones given out by the formula company which are
known to cause more problems with breastfeeding than other types, can you
point this out to them?  Are they consciously setting mothers up to fail at
breastfeeding?  If so, why?  Are they gaining financially from it (either
the hospital or individually)?  Is this ethical?

Queen of ranting before she's had her coffee,



Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Texas A&M University
e-mail to [log in to unmask]