One of my great joys is to see the uptake of skin-to-skin the last couple of
years, influenced by the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (or the Baby
Friendly Health Initiative in Australia) and the wonderful people who have
contributed to the research on this.  Ask a new mother about BFHI and her
face lights up.  Ask a midwife (at least in this part of the world) and her
face lights up.  Ask a father, a doctor, a cleaner - and the same
enthusiasm.  Who would have thought this a few years ago!  As someone who
negotiated for rooming in many years ago, as a "special favour", it is so
good to listen to mothers who see it as standard care, not special.

 

Why do I mention this?  Because sometimes we bog down in discouragement
about improvements which seem to be slow to be achieved, or where we take
two steps forward and one step back.  So I wanted to mention some of the
achievements I am seeing regularly.  From what mothers tell me when I'm
taking their histories, even some of the hospitals that haven't yet become
BFHI accredited are doing these two practices very nicely - early
skin-to-skin contact for mother and baby and rooming-in.  When did I last
see a nursery for well babies?  It must be years and years ago.

 

I hope this reflection gives encouragement to even one Lactnetter who feels
discouraged by maternity practices that are not breastfeeding-friendly, or
who works with colleagues who resist good, evidence-changes that keep mother
and baby together.  Workloads are heavy, tiredness is common, and so I hope
this little bit of cheer gives someone, somewhere, a lift.  Ever onward and
upward!

 

Virginia

 

Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA 

Brisbane, Qld, Australia 

E: [log in to unmask] 

 

 


             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome