-- [ From: Phyllis Kombol * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --

Jeanette Panchula posted a note a few days ago about limited NICU
visiting.  Yes, by all means your impression that this is unduly
limiting, especially in regards to the mother who plans to breastfeed,
is absolutely corrrect.  Most NICUs have gone to mostly unrestricted
visitation with the option of the staff to ask parents to step outside
if there is a crisis nearby; space or privacy are needed for
procedures/ surgery, or emergencies.  Most mothers have a hard time
feeling like they have a role in the care of their babies and providing
breastmilk is a mutual caregiving activity (baby desperately needs the
special goodies in mother's milk; mom needs to own her unique
contribution to the baby's care).  Currrent standards of neonatal care
in intensive settings are more and more family centered.   It takes
lots of pushing, educating, and persistence/patience to change
attitudes but keep on taking on controversies like this.-- Phyl --
RNC/MSN/IBCLC ([log in to unmask]) NC-USA :-)