I'm reading with interest the discussion about where LC's are based and how
they function.
My "dream job" is in the building where I am entitled to receive my
healthcare. I'm in the military and everything is under one roof. Family
Medicine (where I'd ideally be based), Pediatrics, OB/GYN, mother-baby ward
(about 250 births a year), Internal Medicine, Surgery, Radiology...
I envision being available to make rounds on the mother-baby ward, not
replacing but augmenting the work the current nurses already do to support
breastfeeding; seeing pregnant patients at least 3 times during their
pregnancies up in the OB clinic (in conjunction with regular prenatal
appointments), being on hand for compulsory support at the 2-week, 1-month,
and 2-month well-baby check-ups, in addition to anything in between those;
being the go-to resource whenever the radiology clinic needs to administer
an MRI with contrast and the patient is a breastfeeding mother, assuring the
general surgeons that it's OK for a nursing mother to have a colonoscopy
without having to pump and dump, and providing informational handouts on the
regularly-used anesthetics to the pre-op staff; administering monthly or
quarterly inservices on topics of interest (medications and mothers' milk,
breastfeeding while pregnant, risk factors for insufficient milk production,
the postpartum mother with diabetes, breastfeeding with cancer, etc.) and
just being that friendly breastfeeding advocate and presence in the building
every day.
I've suggested my idea to many current providers in the building, with mixed
reviews. The doctors who like me are itching to get me in there (once I've
passed my IBCLC exam), the ones who think I'm a lunatic spew forth every
excuse in the book for why a position like this isn't needed at this
community hospital.
I have a special interest in the military mother/military family and I feel
like working in a setting like I described would afford me the opportunity
to be both my own "feeder program" (I'd get the mothers while they're
pregnant) as well as there over the duration of a mother's breastfeeding
"career."
If not at West Point, then maybe someday (I can retire from the band in 7
years...) at another military healthcare facility?
I agree that an IBCLC in every pediatrics practice is not just a fabulous
idea, but practically imperative! I dream of someday working in that
setting if no military hospitals want me.
--Diana in NY
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