Yes, the local PBS stations just started the series here. Adoption practices have gradually improved for the folks in all three roles in the 'adoption triad' over the years. (Closed adoptions were still the routine in the U.S. when we adopted our daughter in 1971.) I saw the incident of breast binding (different from the way we used to put them on, but after all, this would have been beyond the limits of a 'viewer discretion' warning;-) 


It seems to have been the only reference to breastfeeding thus far, two episodes in. It really is described as a comedy, but I suppose one would have to have a certain sense of humor - while I laugh at the jokes, I myself watch it more with a sense of history. My guess is that it is set in the very early 20th century, so mainly only male physicians, hospitalization, twilight sleep, and general anesthetics intrude themselves into that history before my first experience in OB as a student nurse in 1948.  7 years as an L&D nurse after graduation may have made me feel more "at home" with the setting. I remember well the shaving and the 3H enemas we gave!! At least our fetuscopes had tubing on them to make listening for fetal heart tones a little less 'athletic'.


(P.S. Intravenous fluids as common/routine for OB patients didn't come into the picture in my neck of the woods until the mid-1970's/early 1980's or so. All these various management changes have had repercussions on breast physiology as well, such as the varying times of both the appearance and type of edema and of the onset of L-2 as well as the mom being back in the home with her significant others again, now often within 48+ hours.


I have thought a lot about it - The Anglican nun on a bicycle, accompanying the new midwife to visit the mom who was having her 25th child made a reference to "someday maybe someone will invent a 'magic powder' (or some such wording). The show itself might have a 'birth control' effect on some young viewers. Somewhere it referred to 'natural childbirth'! Unmedicated, yes, but not the natural childbirth I'm acquainted with! At the very least, it may well be a big propaganda boost among today's young viewers for the hospital anesthesiology services!


But when I saw the mom using a straw dipped into some kind of milk (???), with the mom's finger over the other end to contain it till the tip was in the baby's mouth, , I thought, "Why hasn't anyone else thought of trying that recently?" Another way to avoid nipple confusion for NICU babies????  

K. Jean Cotterman RNC-E, IBCLC
WIC Volunteer LC    Dayton OH

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