Dear Stephanie, the instructor you mention is not guilty of being about as
ignorant as a variety of other health care professionals that I have met
personally right here in my own area. She showed her ignorance of the
subject by not informing you all of the various other benefits of
breastfeeding, and also by not correcting the misinformed student who
thought pumping milk was "gross" and for letting that comment color the tone
of the class...and for affirming the student's immature attitude.
I would write the letter of all letters to her..and to the DEAN of the
Nursing school, and I would include copies of MANY articles in it..it will
be a bit of work for you, but worth every second, I promise you..you might
also want to set up a meeting with the Dean to discuss the issues
surrounding this incident....I would start with the ILCA statement on the
Hazards of Infant Formula. This is the BEST piece of literature I know on
this subject...and proceed to show that they are doing a great disservice
to their students (the to the clients of those potential RNS) by ignoring
this vital information. I would then get in there and put lots of the many
studies supporting the benefits of breastfeeding and breastmilk (as if we
needed this, but obviously *they* do). I have in my possession an outline
of many studies supporting this subject on a syllabus entitled
"Breastfeeding: A Plus for Every Employed Mother" that my pal, Kathleen
Auerbach, gave me....
Pull the studies. Get thee to the library and pull the studies...I have
pulled many that are listed in the Statement on the Hazards. It is a health
issue, and there is NO room for the ignorance and careless attitude of those
who are supposed to be teaching upcoming health professionals. And then I
think..oh right...RNs make better LCs, says most of the world. Excuse me?
And I can SAY that cause I am one, and I didn't learn one damned thing about
bf in school. Nada. Nothing. Time to bring this one instructor up short.
Oh, and a well placed letter from Kathy Dettwyler on this subject would add
a little **zing** to the packet....Kathy? How about it?
SOme of the studies that Kathy Auerbach lists are:
Anderson LJ, et al: Day-care center attendance and hospitalization for lower
respiratory tract illness. Pediatrics 82:300-8, 1988
Bartlett AV, et al: Diarrheal illness a mong infants and toddlers in day
care centers. I. Epidemiology and pathogens. J Pediatr 107:495-502, 1985
Auerbach KG, Guss E:Maternal employment and bf:a study of 567 women's
experiences. Am J Dis child 138: 958-60, 1984
Hadler SC, McFarland L: Hepatitis in day care centers: epidemiology and
prevention. Rev Infect Dis 8:548-57, 1986
From another stack in my drawer:
Teele D. Klein J, Rosner B, et al. Epidemiology of otitis media during the
first seven years of life in children in greater Boston: a prospective,
cohort studey. Journal of Infectious Diseases 160:83-94, 1989
Mayer E, Hamman R, Gay E, et al. Reduced risk of IDDM among breast-fed
children: the Colorado IDDM registry. Diabetes 37:1625-1632, 1988
Davis M, Savitz D, Graubard B. Infant feeding and childhood cancer. Lancet
Aug 13, 1988, 365-368
McTieman A, Thomas D. Evidence for a protective efect of lactation on risk
of breast cancer in young women. American Journal of Epidemiology
124:353-358, 1986
I hope I didn't make any mistakes in this list. Then I would pull out the
last 5 years of Facts about Breastfeeding, by LLLI, which goes over and
lists many studies supportive of breastfeeding's relationship to good
health. Available from LLLI.
This type of thing makes me somewhat embarassed to have RN after my name.
These people need education, and if you cc the right people, making copies
of studies, etc..for all involved, send them in big packets, etc...you
should make your point ** felt***. After all, there are many mothers whose
bf experiences will be colored and affected by this lack of knowledge. But
, as I am an RN, you may not want to put any stock in my advice.... : /
Facetiously..
Kathleen
Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC, LLLeader, co-owner Lactnet, LLLOL, Corgi-L
LACTNET WWW site: http://www.mcs.com/~auerbach/lactation.html
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