All I can say is HEAR,HEAR!  

-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jaye Simpson, IBCLC
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 10:25 AM
Subject: Re: Research on anxiety and test weighing

""I feel like those of us who use the scales intelligently are not having our posts read.  We do not simply judge a single feed based on the number alone, PARTICULARLY when it is a first visit or only visit. On the other hand, I cannot tell you how many mop up visits I have had because someone did a quick assessment (without a scale) and saw a "good feed" but didn't listen to the mother's complaints about the "bad feeds" and completely
dismissed the mother's concerns."    Susan E. Burger, MHS, PhD, IBCLC

-------------

Ah Susan, thank you for saying exactly what I am feeling.  I am not feeling heard on this topic by any means.  Sadly, I have felt that for many years in my own community, seeing things and talking about them only to have my colleagues tell me I am not seeing this or that, that I am just plain wrong or blowing me off completely - only to be proven right a few years later.
(However, I do know I can come on strong and that may very well have something to do with it...)  As a result, I am sadly not even mildly involved in my own community anymore - something I do plan to change.  But not feeling heard is a huge frustration and it can cause serious professional frustration and burn out...which I am struggling with right now.

Many of us have varying styles of practice.  We all have varying levels of experience.  We all have our own comfort levels of what we will or will not work with.  There is nothing inherently wrong with this.  We all need to remember this though - and when someone mentions that they do use this tool or that on a regular basis, perhaps we should consider asking WHY, and getting more information before just stating that they are wrong or overusing, etc.  

I, for example work with babies who have terribly difficult suck issues, structural issues and tongue ties.  I do not see sick babies or babies with metabolic issues or birth defects (except for the baby with the cleft palate last month - my first).  Rarely do I see a baby anymore who does NOT have tight muscles issues of some sort which saddens me terribly.  But when you look at the stress levels our pregnant moms are dealing with (which will easily cause stress for baby), the medicalized births they almost all go through, vacuum extractions, forceps, pitocin, cytotet, epidurals, etc...Even the moms having homebirths are not immune to babies with tight muscle issues and tongue ties...and I see them too.  And they are shocked that they are having issues because they had the idealized birth...

It is a wonder that any of our babies have any instincts left at all at this point.  I routinely see babies who do NOT know how to search for the breast.
They are sleepy, lethargic, bodies are way out of alignment - neck compression, torticollis, lopsided jaws, huge fluid filled lumps on their heads from either 3 hours of pushing or a vacuum.  I see tongue ties all the time now - ones that are understandably missed (Types 3 and 4) and ones that even my kids and wife see and say, " Wow - that one has a tongue tie," and
the hospital help and pediatrician and 3 other LC's ALL missed it!   Talk
about frustrated moms!  

I see babies who are unable to move their arms and lift their heads for the laid back position for BF due to overly tight muscles.  These poor babies are NOT able to act or function normally.  I cannot use the basic tools we have to help these moms and babies - I have to step way outside the "Normal Box".  Hell, if a mom came to me for a simple latch and positioning issue and baby had no issues at all, I'd likely pay her for the visit!

So - how does this all relate back to the scale  and not being heard?  Well, please hear me:  my scale is a vitally important tool.  It helps me catch the stealth nurser - like baby Sophia whose face was pushed off to the right, so badly out of alignment that even the parents knew something was really wrong (most parents don't seem to notice when their baby is lopsided).  Her Jaw tilted horribly, she had horrible torticollis (diagnosed within 3 days of birth by the Ped who actually noticed this kid had an issue), and her body curved to the right so badly she looked like the letter 'C'.  Babies shouldn't look like that.  I just knew there was no way she was going to be able to breastfeed and was very upset.  But, she did breastfeed
- and she did very well and did not hurt mom!  I was shocked!  We put her into treatment to take care of the body issues.

Then there was baby Ella.  Who grew over a 10cm fibroid in her momma's uterus.  While her body was shaped like a 'C' and she also had torticollis and a lopsided jaw, no visible neck (very tight neck muscles put her little shoulders nearly at lower ear level), her Dr missed all of this and declared her in perfect health but called me (which was cool!) to help with the nursing because mom felt there was a problem (even tho the Dr didn't).
Well, there was a problem.  Baby could nurse till the cows came home but, it hurt like hell, and there was NO milk transfer even though we heard lots of 'audible swallows' (which was why Doc felt all was fine with nursing).  This baby had such severe muscular issues that it took her 10 weeks to learn to breastfeed.  We put her into treatment also.  

Both babies are doing quite well - developing normally and both still nursing - Ella is now 15 months old and Sophia 9 months.

So I guess my point is that we all need to remember that the vast majority of us actually have a clue and are smart enough to not just judge one feeding as this or that, and that we are able to look at the big picture.
There are people we have on this group that no one ever second guesses because they have made it clear they know what they are doing - they have written books and have spoken at our conferences.  Their 'words' are taken as near gospel (and that is fine!) because of their experience and because they make sense.  But you know what?  There was a time when they didn't know much either, and they were learning too.  But they, and those like me, have worked our asses off to learn more, to help more, to understand more - to be able to make a difference.  We have learned how to have our nice big tool kit and use it for all our moms as they need - not do 'cookie cutter'
lactation treating each dyad the same...they all deserve individual treatment, do they not?  What works for one, may very well not work for others.

Just because some of us are not prolific writers/posters on LN doesn't mean we don't know what we are doing.  And time in practice doesn't always mean anything either.  I know of LC's who have been in the business for twice as long as others - but those others are cleaning up the long time LC's train wrecks...  I may have only been doing this for 16 yrs, and I don't know it all, but I know what I know and I am damn good at it.  And the fact that I have been supporting my family for several years now on ONLY my LC income says something... 

Ok - enough rambling for now.  I haven't been on LN for quite a while - been lurking, just haven't had much to say for a variety of reasons.  But this one is near and dear to me.  We must treat each other with respect, and we must not assume that because one posts on a particular point that she doesn't 'get' the other points that may go along with it...does that make
sense?   Anyway, I am really enjoying the other thoughts along this
thread...

Warmly,
Jaye

Jaye Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM
Breastfeeding Network
Sacramento, CA
www.breastfeedingnetwork.net

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