I try to see all breastfeeding mothers-even if the nurse has told me she stopped or changed her mind. I like to hear in mom's words (not the story passed on down the line by nurses) if she was planning to breastfeed, was she having difficulty, would she like more help? I tell her that I am available to help her and my job is to help her learn how to tell if baby is getting enough, how to prevent sore nipples, or whatever she mentioned... I tell her if she decides she wants me to come back, how to reach me and give her our area breastfeeding directory with lots of phone numbers.

At one hospital I worked at, my manager told me a nurse reported me for "refusing to see supplementing mothers".
This is far from the truth. If they looked at the chart, there would be some indication that I saw the mom. Now, occasionally, I work at length with a mom and discuss "no more bottles now, baby is getting plenty, etc." and then the next day the nurse said mom fed bottles all night to baby and did not try to breastfeed. That mom might be one I mark off my list for the 2nd day visit, IF I there were too many moms to see. Usually, I see all moms each day, but if I needed to miss one, it would be one like this. I tell the nurses, if she wants to see me again today, page me, and I'll go see her.
Kris Wiedman, RN IBCLC

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