Lactation consultants in the NICU?

fergus51 · Jul 29, 2005

We have two on the unit during the day (monday-friday 9am to 5pm). They are for the NICU only and have experience as NICU nurses.

prmenrs, RN · Jul 29, 2005

The 2 units I've been in have had access to LCs, but not their own. The unit I'm in now is too small. I'd be happy if the Maternal-Infant division had more than one part-time consultant. She gets pulled back into staffing any old time they want, too.

The other. larger unit did ok w/access, but occ it was hard for them to bet away from the post partum unit. We did have staff nurses that had taken the lactation educator course. That was quite helpful.

mahal · Aug 8, 2005

Hello, do any of your units use lactation consultants? If so, are the LC's for the hospital as a whole, or just for the NICU? How often do you see them around? Thanks for your help!

WE have our own LC.She is available M-F. ANd during weekend there is an on call that covers NICU and NBN nsy.

A_Nightingale · Aug 14, 2005

The Unit I work in has access to two full-time lactation consultants, one of which has experience as a nicu nurse. She is great with the mom's of premie's. The other likes to stay with the post-partum moms and will only come if you page her numerous times and Kim, (the nicu nurse) is not on that day. With all the mom's who are choosing to breastfeed today we really need our own consultant just for the Nicu. :) Linda from NJ

BabyRN2Be · Aug 15, 2005

There are two NICU's in this area that have their own LC's. They worked exclusively with NICU, but may occasionally be "farmed out" to OB if someone calls in sick. They try not to do this though, because one of the hospitals does everything it possibly can to get moms to breastfeed their babies in NICU. I think that this is cool because these nurses know the inherent problems with NICU kids. Great program.