I would like to correspond with anyone who has helped with the start-up
of a new OB department. In my small town, the local hospital will be moving
to a new building soon and in Mar 2001, they plan to start delivering babies
for the first time--4 bed unit. I have been working together with a LLL
Leader to inform the MD's who will be practicing there (OB & Peds) about
about baby-friendly and passing around the book about BFHI (don't know name
of it) for them to read. Positive responses so far.
    We are holding monthly meetings, inviting MD's & office staff to attend
and have given them (thru grant $ from the hospital)- Hale's 2000 book and a
good resource book to help staff answer breastfeeding questions
appropriately. They are showing interest in learning more about breastfeeding
and supporting the mothers.
    We plan to have 2 IBCLC's from a nearby BabyFriendly hospital to talk at
the hospital's medical staff meeting soon.
    I'm sure the ABM companies are already planning their attack so we need
to be ready.
    Any comments/suggestions will be greatly appreciated. We realize the
process to become baby friendly but would like to hear from someone who has
done something similar.
    Neither of us work for the hospital, as of yet, but I think I would like
to.You may e-mail me privately.
 (I did find the suggestions from Cynthia Turner-Maffei about how to approach
hosp administration.)
 Thanks.
 Kris Wiedman, RN IBCLC
 Jefferson City, Tennessee