Laurie, Excellent comments re bilirubin.  Also, re "why do WE have to do all
the work,etc".  I am on the verge of quitting my job every day because of
all the things you said, and I do really resent having to work so hard, be
so frustrated, over something that should be pretty darn simple.  I should
be helping the "abnormal" situations, not trying to latch a drugged baby who
is "healthy" full-term and mom had a "normal" vaginal delivery.  The
disparity between what is and what could be is sometimes too much to bear.
I don't quit for various reasons, including a son in college, but I would
love to stop banging my head against the wall.  Trying to focus on the
progress that has been made in the microcosm of my hospital or the macrocosm
of the nation sometimes just doesn't help me.

I do not want to add to your despair, but I share your sentiments, and we
are in need of support  just as the moms and babies are.  I do walk in your
shoes.  I plan to keep plugging away as long as I can, enjoy the happiness
that I see in a mom's face when it does work, and protect my mental health
the best I can until I make a different choice of work.
Sincerely,
Patricia Ellis, and I write this with some trepidation because I have been
reprimanded for expressing my feelings on Lactnet in the past by my
supervisor.  I believe that this is an appropriate forum, however.

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