Baby Friendly- getting a tad over the top

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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My hospital is working toward becoming baby friendly. This entails that we promote rooming-in and breastfeeding, which I have no problem at all with- what I do have a problem with is how we are being presented with it- and how we must now interact with our patients. Our patients come from a very diverse spectrum of cultures who are set in their ways and I guess I don't really feel it's my place to be like "well welcome to America- this is how we do it, too bad so sad."

We have been ordered to move all formula, nipples and pacifiers to the back room of the nursery (which has also undergone a name change to make it less accessible and friendly sounding) so that NOBODY sees it, patients or family. We don't want them to think we promote formula or artificial nipples. We are instructed now to council every mother who has chosen to formula feed, or do breast/bottle combo on the "dangers of feeding formula to your baby". Yes, these very words were uttered and in writing. There's serious talk of making the mother sign an informed consent before giving the baby any formula- acknowledging that she is aware that she is causing harm to her baby by giving him/her formula, and that they understand that breast milk is superior to formula.

We must extensively chart WHY mom is choosing formula. We have to now keep all the shades in the nursery down so that people don't look in, and THINK it's a nursery and again to make it an in-accessible place.

This really seems out of hand to me. I love where I work, I love the field but boy, we are in for some troubles when a mom from another culture other than white-upper class wants to put their baby in the nursery so they can sleep, or can go for a walk, or wants to formula feed and then gets a 20 minute lecture implying that they're a bad mom for choosing this method. Is this true of any other hospitals out there that are baby friendly or are in the process? I feel like they're trying to brainwash us, or like it's becoming a cult-like atmosphere!

As a new mother myself, I refused to be shamed for supplementing with formula in order to ensure my child is getting nutrition. I was extremely pro breastfeeding and judgey towards formula BEFORE having the baby. Well fast forward... Dx'd with low supply (after a few months of hell). Rather give my child some formula than have him starve, but that's just me. Some people would rather have a baby fail-to-thrive and starving all in the name of the mighty breast. There's support and there's judgement, and with breastfeeding, sometimes judgement is disguised as "support"

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
As a new mother myself I refused to be shamed for supplementing with formula in order to ensure my child is getting nutrition. I was extremely pro breastfeeding and judgey towards formula BEFORE having the baby. Well fast forward... Dx'd with low supply (after a few months of hell). Rather give my child some formula than have him starve, but that's just me. Some people would rather have a baby fail-to-thrive and starving all in the name of the mighty breast. There's support and there's judgement, and with breastfeeding, sometimes judgement is disguised as "support"[/quote']

And baby friendly is not supposed to be about shaming but ensure informed consent. This isn't about society but a hospital initiative.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I think I saw both sides of this issue as both a leader of new mom/baby support groups covering a variety of topics and an active member of LLL and one bad snowstorm away from starting the process to become a leader in that group, too.

I can say that no new mom I talked to wishes to harm her baby, each is unique and has considered choices in her control as well as those that aren't, like a 6-week maternity leave. I've seen them drip tears all over their baby as they deal with guilt trips imposed on them, so I may not like their choice, I know that time and support theoretically will enable most women to scale the hurdles, but in the end I am not them nor do I live their life. Those first few weeks are so precious, I would be very reluctant to create tension with consent forms, educational lectures etc especially with such super-short hospital stays now.

In a perfect world, everyone who wanted it could be sent home with an all-knowing doula to help the new mom give her child what is best for him or her.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
It really gets me how people push breastmilk SO MUCH. I wish people were like this about anti-abortion.

Well, I push breastmilk AND abortion, so yay me!

If you want to start an anti-abortion thread, feel free. This is not it.

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Specializes in Cath lab, acute, community.

our hospital maternity is like a hotel. we are all about making mother and father happy, not baby happy!! after all, it's the parents who choose where they come back for the next bub!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
And baby friendly is not supposed to be about shaming but ensure informed consent. This isn't about society but a hospital initiative.
Sometimes is isn't the message but the delivery of that message that counts.
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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
Sometimes is isn't the message but the delivery of that message that counts.

Which is why if somebody approaches baby friendly wrong it is...wrong. It's the same idea if a nurse walls into the room of a patient who is dying and speaks poorly about the idea of turning off a vent. Information needs to be given....we need informed consent. We need to do it appropriately. At the same time, we can't say not speak facts because somebody might have their feelings hurt. So facts need to be given...but not with judgement.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Which goes back to my first post in this thread - what the OP described is a horrible bastardization of BFHI, it is not the spirit of BFHI.

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Baby friendly isn't about shaming anyone. I don't think people are understanding this at all. The goal is to increase breastfeeding success rates.

You have been jumping down everyone's throat who has a different opinion than you throughout this entire thread. Baby friendly can be a good thing but the way you are forcing your opinion down everyone's throat isn't helping. And if you haven't noticed people aren't going to change their views because you keep forcing yours on everyone. People are going to do what they think is best for their baby, if it's breast feeding then great if not then it's THEIR baby and they will raise them to the best of their ability.

I think people would consider what you are are saying in this thread if you weren't so pushy and passive-aggressive with your information.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
You have been jumping down everyone's throat who has a different opinion than you throughout this entire thread. Baby friendly can be a good thing but the way you are forcing your opinion down everyone's throat isn't helping. And if you haven't noticed people aren't going to change their views because you keep forcing yours on everyone. People are going to do what they think is best for their baby if it's breast feeding then great if not then it's THEIR baby and they will raise them to the best of their ability. I think people would consider what you are are saying in this thread if you weren't so pushy and passive-aggressive with your information. Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com[/quote']

The only thing I'm pushing is informed consent. There are too many saying "oh hurt feelings". Get over it. Plus there are people stating opinions based on no education or research...beyond annoying. This post isn't about how to approach but policy. I'm pushy on informed consent. Yes. Won't back down on that. I'm also not passive aggressive here. Not at all. Do what you want with your baby...after informed consent.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.

I am well versed on the benefits of breast-feeding (wrote an extensive paper on it for an EBP class) and when the time comes for me to choose, I will be choosing formula. And I also have no medical condition preventing me from doing so.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
I am well versed on the benefits of breast-feeding (wrote an extensive paper on it for an EBP class) and when the time comes for me to choose I will be choosing formula. And I also have no medical condition preventing me from doing so.[/quote']

And that is your choice to make...

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