I am a new post partum nurse. I breastfed both of my children, the first only for a month due to lack of knowledge and support, they second is still nursing at 15 months.
One thing that really excited me about taking this job was helping other women succeed at breastfeeding. I've already become a bit let down by the process though.
I was so excited to see that nearly every mom wants to try breastfeeding. But I was shocked to see how difficult it is for almost all of them.
Almost every baby doesn't want to latch, and is very sleepy. I know sleepy is normal for the first couple days, but is allot of this the epidurals as well? (I had my baby without and he was alert enough to latch without much issue).
Almost every mom is ending up with a nipple sheild, often given to them by the CLC. I know they are sometimes necessary but it seems like they are being used to ignore other issues, and they can potentially set moms up for failure... Since baby has to work harder and there is less direct simulation to increase her milk supply.
And finally, allot of times the nurses are too busy to help, or some just don't seem to care to. I saw a nurse walk into a room where a mom was trying to nurse a crying baby, open a bottle, and stick it in the babies mouth without even asking moms permission.
Maybe I idealized or romanticized allot off this, but I just feel like these moms hardly stands a chance. We are supposed to be baby friendly, but of all the moms I've sent home on orientation so far, I'd think maybe 10% were comfortable and confident enough to be successful. Is this the norm?
I'm actually so on maternity leave right now and when I return to work I will be an OB nurse. I definitely feel like I didn't get enough support with breastfeeding while in the hospital, not to mention I was only there for 24 hours after delivery.
I actually asked for a nipple shield the first night because my baby girl was not latching and I was told by the nurse that I have flat nipples. The LC immediately discouraged it for similar reasons mentioned above and instead advised me to pump. I wish I had gone with my instincts and used the nipple shield.
I'm now 3 months postpartum and am exclusively pumping. Although I am grateful that my daughter is still EBF, I wish I wasn't totally reliant on pumping. I've tried over and over again to nurse my daughter but she's gotten so use to the bottle that I can't even pull my boob out without her screaming bloody murder.
I will definitely remember my experience and do my best to give mothers more support than I received when I start my new job in the coming months.
babeinboots, MSN, NP, CNM
260 Posts
I'm actually so on maternity leave right now and when I return to work I will be an OB nurse. I definitely feel like I didn't get enough support with breastfeeding while in the hospital, not to mention I was only there for 24 hours after delivery.
I actually asked for a nipple shield the first night because my baby girl was not latching and I was told by the nurse that I have flat nipples. The LC immediately discouraged it for similar reasons mentioned above and instead advised me to pump. I wish I had gone with my instincts and used the nipple shield.
I'm now 3 months postpartum and am exclusively pumping. Although I am grateful that my daughter is still EBF, I wish I wasn't totally reliant on pumping. I've tried over and over again to nurse my daughter but she's gotten so use to the bottle that I can't even pull my boob out without her screaming bloody murder.
I will definitely remember my experience and do my best to give mothers more support than I received when I start my new job in the coming months.