Hello all.  After a few weeks of lurking and reading some truly
awful stories about doctors, nurses and hospitals, I feel compelled to
share two stories on the positive side.

        The hospital where I delivered has a brochure of prenatal classes
offered, one being a 3 hour crash course on breastfeeding, taught by an LC.
She talks very fast and conveys a lot of information in one evening.  This
class is very well attended, with 1/3 of the people on the fence as to
BF/ABM.  Many say they left convinced to try it for at least 3 weeks.  (The
LC's slogan is to commit for 3 weeks - by then the baby and mother both
know what's going on, initial problems are over and mother can truly decide
if she likes/dislikes BFing.)  She also will connect you with support
groups in your area, give you a book she wrote (not out in general
publication) with "all you need to know..." and will inform/sell breast
pumps or refer to rental stations.  After delivery she visits EVERY mom
(regardless of whether they took the class) in her room to
encourage/advise.  True, these visits are short, but they do help the
morale of the new mothers.  She also offers free LC advice over the phone
and quite inexpensive personal visits to all moms who delivered at the
hospital.
        Not only is it wonderful to have the LC's services, the hospital
itself was wonderful about my BFing.  They brought the baby awake but not
crying to me (through the night too - actually following the baby's cues!).
The first time the nurse helped me make sure the latch was correct and
even came back to help me change sides.  The free pacifier was kept in the
DRAWER and not offered rather than in the bassinette.  No bottles were
given at all.  The staff were very supportive of BFing and were
knowledgeable as well.  Of course, having a LC on staff helps this greatly
(and she'd "set straight" anyone who needed it).  However, there is one
hospital that is willing to pay a LC to set the steps in place to ensure
BFing goes well for it's moms.

        The second story is about my pediatrician.  He is not a FP, but is
a true Pediat.  He has posted in his office the current schedule for the
area BF support group.  He asked at my prenatal interview if I planned to
BF and did I already have a support group.  His partner BFed all her
children.  My son was born early (not terribly) and was small (petite, not
in dire straits) and the recommendation was to nurse every 2 hrs round the
clock, then go to three and then to demand.  Never was supplementing even
mentioned.  He never introduced the concept of solids till the 6 mo. check
up (and then I had to ASK for his literature).  At 9 mo. and still nursing
8x/day he said "keep working on the solids, but don't worry.  By a year he
should be eating mainly solids."  At the year check up and still nursing
6-8x/day (my son doesn't like solids, can you tell?) he said, "eh, don't
worry.  He'll eat them eventually.  Keep nursing on demand and keep
offering solids.  And don't fall into offering twelve things for lunch,
hoping he'll eat some, offer him one or two and if he doesn't eat them,
nurse him and move on."  I was surprised and very reassured by this
attitude.  If only he could be cloned!

        Well, I've rambled on for far too long.  However, I did want to
share some GOOD EXPERIENCES with health professionals and BFing.  Good
people are out there, plugging away just as we are.  I hope this warms your
heart, makes you smile and eases your stress just a little.

Linda Volkovitsch, BF counselor
Mother of Michael (12 months and still disliking every solid he's met so far)
Devon (just outside Philadelphia), Pennsylvania, USA