Melinda, We do not use bar coding. We label with the mother or baby's i.d.
sticky label. However, because the mother's id label and the baby's are not
identical,  a nurse could make a mistake e.g. baby johnson getting baby's
jones milk, or if there were 2 baby browns in the nursery. Therefore, I have
begun recently giving the mother a page of blank sticky labels. I instruct
her to write her last name (baby will have mother's name during hospital
stay, even if birth certificate has father's name) and the identification
number that matches the baby's number (put on at delivery). She can then
write the date and time she expressed. I figure this way the nurses can
match the name and the i.d. number, which is unique to that dyad. I would
appreciate any comments on this low tech system of identifying/matching
mother's milk to baby when they are separated.

As to your second question, re a needlestick in a lactating healthcare
worker mom. Perhaps the patient will agree to the testing if further
discussion ensues, e.g. assurances of confidentiality. Can it be ascertained
if pt is in any high risk category for HIV or hepatitis? Is it known what
the percentage of HIV positive is in the local population, or at that
hospital (not sure how or if that would be known)? Has mother been started
on meds (antiretrovirals I think?) Is she exclusively bf, which is very low
risk for transmission to baby. This info should be provided to mother,
giving relative risk etc. And mother makes the decision re continuing bf, of
course.
Laurie Wheeler RN MN IBCLC
Mississippi USA

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