anyone going baby friendly??

justiceforjoy · Sep 16, 2009, 02:07 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

Originally Posted by dscrn

and if mom is exhausted , and does not want to nurse the baby, and baby is hungry...you let baby scream? Not mommy or baby friendly, I'd say..been there, done that. Are pacifiers also forbidden?

What? I'd have smacked a nurse if they tried to "supplement" formula to my breastfed newborn because she was "hungry." Seriously, I would have smacked her.

OP - all of those changes being made sound like good ones to me except for the bags issue. Are there no longer bags, or are just the breastfeeding moms receiving them?

babyktchr · Sep 16, 2009, 07:31 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

The deal with the baby friendly initiative is that it is all or nothing. You cannot allow advertising of formula, thus the bags go away and the free formula goes away. This applies to everyone, not just the breastfeeding folk. Everyone is forced to comply with the initiative regulations. Pacifiers for breastfeeding moms are highly discouraged and should only be used for medical purposes and then thrown away (say, for a circ for pain relief measures etc). When you go thru the process, it is almost like a JCAHO review. They have actually been known to call parents to find out if formula or pacifiers were given to their baby. I just have such mixed feelings about having to explain the baby friendly initiative to bottle feeding patients when I inform them they will not be getting a diaper bag to go home with. How do you think that will make them feel when being baby friendly is all about breastfeeding. Certainly some will think they are not baby friendly because they aren't.

Thanks for the replies thus far. This is interesting.

babyktchr · Sep 16, 2009, 07:34 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

The bags that are being given are small totes with hair care items, tooth brushes, soaps and stuff and coupons. Funny, these bags are being provided for us at no charge by someone who gets paid from the advertisers who give her the stuff to put in the bags. Seems I will end up promoting hair care products instead of formula. It will have the hospital logo on it and some other goodies in it. I haven't seen the final product yet. I am also leary about someone who will GIVE us bags for NOTHING. Seems too good to be true.

geekgolightly · Sep 16, 2009, 07:54 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

Originally Posted by babyktchr

The bags that are being given are small totes with hair care items, tooth brushes, soaps and stuff and coupons. Funny, these bags are being provided for us at no charge by someone who gets paid from the advertisers who give her the stuff to put in the bags. Seems I will end up promoting hair care products instead of formula. It will have the hospital logo on it and some other goodies in it. I haven't seen the final product yet. I am also leary about someone who will GIVE us bags for NOTHING. Seems too good to be true.

Well that same leeriness should be applied to formula companies. Truly. Even if they are supplying formula moms with what they need, it was also shoved in our bf hands with no breastfeeding equivalent available. I wanted the bag, but taking home that formula meant, if not for me, then for some unsuspecting mom who gets frustrated with bf early on, that she may just give up and go with formula. Of course, this is the whole point with sending home the bags to everyone. To get more customers, not give freebies away to customers who are already guaranteed.

I think it's very unfortunate that formula companies can't give away stuff to formula moms. I am glad that there is now a formula free bag. I do not have any strong feelings about which shampoo is best, so I am not really concerned with who wants to give me their free samples of shampoo.

Why in the world can there not be both?

Why does breastfeeding friendly have to be so family/baby unfriendly? That smacks of dogmatism.

geekgolightly · Sep 16, 2009, 08:00 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

Originally Posted by justiceforjoy

What? I'd have smacked a nurse if they tried to "supplement" formula to my breastfed newborn because she was "hungry." Seriously, I would have smacked her.

Pretty much. I'm not one for being physical, but I would be pretty damn upset if someone made that choice for me. "for the good of the baby!" ugh.

BabyLady · Sep 16, 2009, 08:14 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

Originally Posted by babyktchr

We are in the beginning stages of initiation of the WHO baby friendly initiative. Just wondering if anyone else has received the accreditation or is in the process. I am having difficulty with it really. Not that I am against breastfeeding. I really just don't want to discriminate against a bottlefeeding woman. Would love to hear your thought!!

My thoughts...here is the typical conversation that I have witnessed in my facility after a birth:

Nurse: Mom...have you decided to breast or bottle feeding?

Patient: Oh gosh...I'm not sure...I guess I'll bottle feed.

Nurse: Ok...are you on WIC?

Patient: No (or yes)...ok...I'll see what the Pediatrician wants to feed the baby. We'll bring out your baby in a jiffy!

That it. No education. No benefits explained. No asking mother reasons behind her decision. No encouraging her to even try.

Who suffers: The baby...who can receive significant benefits...even if Mom just breastfeeds for just a few weeks...just the collostrum would be a plus!!!!

I don't believe a mother should be made to feel guilty for not breastfeeding...but I don't think that we as nurses are doing our jobs if we don't throw Mom some encouragement and education behind it when asking her what her preference is.

Want to get women to breastfeed? I always through the WEIGHT LOSS factor in there...they jump at that!!! Most women are not aware that their postpartum weight can drop faster and in some cases, even dramatically vs Mom's that don't breast feed.

J_9! · Sep 16, 2009, 08:25 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

I want to add that coercing mothers into breastfeeding can set them up for disappointment. When I had my last child, 8 years ago, before going into nursing, the nurses made me feel terrible that I was not going to breastfeed. I explained that I had had breast cancer, and had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstructive surgery. One nurse did not believe me and actually called in a lactation consultant. I told the lactation consultant that I had pacifiers for breasts and the baby wasn't gong to get any milk.

As a nurse in a very small rural hospital, I support whatever decision my patient makes whether I agree with it or not. We don't always know underlying circumstances.

babyktchr · Sep 16, 2009, 08:26 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

again, the initiative dictates you cannot have any formula advertising. so, you can't give bottle feeding moms the formula bags.

J_9! · Sep 16, 2009, 08:34 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

Originally Posted by babyktchr

again, the initiative dictates you cannot have any formula advertising. so, you can't give bottle feeding moms the formula bags.

Apparently we do not have that initiative in my facility, and for that I am very happy. My hospital caters to very low income women and teens. They can't afford to go out and get formula until their WIC appointment.

BabyLady · Sep 16, 2009, 08:39 AM

Re: anyone going baby friendly??

Originally Posted by J_9!

I want to add that coercing mothers into breastfeeding can set them up for disappointment. When I had my last child, 8 years ago, before going into nursing, the nurses made me feel terrible that I was not going to breastfeed. I explained that I had had breast cancer, and had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstructive surgery. One nurse did not believe me and actually called in a lactation consultant. I told the lactation consultant that I had pacifiers for breasts and the baby wasn't gong to get any milk.

As a nurse in a very small rural hospital, I support whatever decision my patient makes whether I agree with it or not. We don't always know underlying circumstances.

Yes, but you cannot hold all nurses to blame because one nurse refused to believe that you had cancer.

I would have absolutely lost it with that idiot.

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anyone going baby friendly??

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