Breastfeeding support by HCPs

[mappers]

Hello Everyone,

I hope you don't mind me popping in here. I'm a nurse but do Med/Surg Onc, so haven't been here before. I also participate in a debate board on another website for Breastfeeding vs. Formula feeding. It's a fun diversion.

I frequently see statements on that board that breastfeeding efforts are sabotaged by healthcare professionals. This could be anything from OB/GYN offices handing out free sample formula, to nursery nurses giving babies bottles without the parents permision, to Doctors advising new moms to switch to formula instead of getting LC's involved, to Drs unable or unwilling to diagnose nursing problems and help a mother through them. The general concensus is that most (not all) women who fail at breastfeeding could have been successful if they just had the right education and support.

So what is your experience? How supportive is your hospital/practice/environment toward breastfeeding? How much education do MB nurses get in breastfeeding issues and support? How many LCs does your hospital have and do they see everyone? If you don't work in a hospital, what are your experiences/insights? And, if you want to share, what are your own personal views towards breastfeeding vs formula and how the healthcare system supports one or the other?

When I hear people "blame" nurses (blame is probably too strong of a word) my hackles get up and I want to defend them. But I don't really know what goes on. My only experience is my own DDs births' 13 and 11 years ago. So I thought I'd ask for your thoughts and opinions.

BF vs. FF is a very personal choice and a lot of women who aren't successful at BF become very defensive and accuse the "lactivist" of being mean and judgemental of them. In reality, however, it seems that people are critical of themselves for their "failure" and tend to project those feelings onto others. Terms like LLL Nazi is thrown around in the media, when in reality, no one has ever met one. It's an unjustified image, since most people say their LLL experience is warm and accepting and positive.

Well, I think the nurse who rolls her eyes at a new mom insisting on not giving a newborn a bottle is also an unjustified image. (Think "The Office" when Pam had her baby). So tell me, am I right?

If anyone is interested in viewing that board, let me know and I'll post a link.

Thanks in advance for your insight!

Mappers

[cjfairchild]

Hi,

I am new to this forum, but not new to nursing or breastfeeding. I have found reading these responses to be interesting. I am currently working on my EdD. My area of intrest is the support given in the hospital to the breastfeeding mother. would mother's be more successful if medical personnel were more supportive? how do you get staff to supprt the new mothers?

Thank you in advance for your comments

Cindy

[Zookeeper44, RN]

DebblesRN...thanks for ALL your insight. That is very eye-opening, although I don't know why I would be surprised. I was one of the few I guess who was bound and determined to BF no matter what, but I have often been frustrated with women I know who honestly did not try very hard at all to BF and said they gave up b/c they "couldn't". I can see how frustrating that must be on the other end, as the RN working so closely w/ mothers and then they don't hold up their end.

I wonder if I would even be a good candidate for working in MB, since I have such strong personal feelings about this subject I know we're *supposed* to "suspend judgment" as nurses, but we are human after all. I still think I would like to work with those who are interested in really learning how to BF, I think I could be of help to them even if only a few.

And your statement about baby latching onto nipple and angels singing had me HOWLING. I have to admit, that is kinda how I guess I thought it would be before having my first. No one tells you you'll be digging your toes into the floor so hard your toenails might come off

You do great work , keep it up.