? About not breastfeeding

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fergus51

6,620 Posts

Her profile says she is in Canada - maybe things are different there?

I did PP in Canada and never had more than 4-5 couplets.

SuperFlyRN

108 Posts

Specializes in ER, Tele, L&D. ICU.
SuperFlyRN ~ You have such a poor attitude. Why are you in this profession?

Why is it funny when a new dad can't change a diaper, but ridiculous when a mom can't? Everybody needs to learn sometime. If your job is that hectic maybe you should look elsewhere for employment.

As far as advising new parents to take a b'fding class......I don't think it's doing much good on a nursing board. IMO, OBs really drop the ball in this area. They are the ones who should be educating expectant parents. You can't blame a new parent for not knowing what they don't know they should know. I DID take a class (with my husband) with my first child. He was 5 weeks early so they cut me some slack I guess. When my second child was born, I needed assistance at first....MAN, I bet you would have thought I was ignorant, huh!!

If you don't have time for such petty tasks, what DO you have time for??

I'm sorry, are you in my shoes? Did you hear me say seven moms (yes, they come with babies too) and that is until I am to pass some couplets off to take a laboring patient. And yes, I DO think it is funny when the patient is on their third day C/S and they are going home and I, personnally, have shown them how to change a diaper five or six times previously-it pretty much repeats itself, istructions are the same. I love what I do, but when I have a labor patient (which is all-consuming in its own rite) and than established couplets that are given to me because they are low-maintenance and than are ringing to watch the baby while they get up to void (baby is sleeping, huh?) it gets a bit much.

Yes, I strongly believe new moms should take a breastfeeding class. Do you know how many primps have picked out a list of names, the very best, most stylish clothes, this round crib that they HAD to have and a tricked out corificeat but when it comes to the VERY basic of things like feeding their baby they are leaving that to a complete stranger. I know patients need assistance with breasfeeding (I did with my own child) that is completely understandable-but to not have picked up a book, taken a class, watched a video, in short, not know one thing about breastfeeding?! When I request they get started and I will come in shortly (not their first feed, btw) and the baby is still dressed in the cot and they are waiting for me to come? Yes, it gets a little frustrating. Do not judge me from a simple post until YOU just came off that night shift, that, to top it off -the laboring patient I mentioned, was a IVF G50040 whose baby has multiple cardiac anomilies that are incapatible with life.

Please, I love me job, but can't I vent when it is very appropriate to do so? Nothing hurts more than a patient upset because there baby won't stop crying because she just nursed it 2 hours ago and a patient that wishes her baby would cry at all.

Thanks for all the support

nurse_clown

227 Posts

My only concern is that the baby is fed, cared for, nurtured, and loved.

Demonstrate proper feeding technique, some advice on canned v. powder formula (cost), care of bottles, nipples, etc.

Then I remind the new Mum, I am there to help her with her choice and its her choice alone on how to feed her baby.

gee, i wish i had fiona as my nurse when i had my two kids. i was unable to breastfeed for very long. physiological reasons. i also had postpartum depression which made it even more difficult. one nurse said to me i wasn't giving it a fair shot. at the time, i didn't know where she was coming from but even a comment like that made me feel so inadequate.

both of my kids were breast fed for two months, then bottle fed. they are both healthy and happy. no ear infections or respiratory problems. they bonded with their parents. up to date on their immunizations. no problem.

a little more understanding would have helped me at the time. i'm glad there are understanding nurses like fiona out there and boy do i wish she cared for me at the time.

SuperFlyRN

108 Posts

Specializes in ER, Tele, L&D. ICU.
I did PP in Canada and never had more than 4-5 couplets.

Our babies are not "counted" as a patient. On our workload they count as 0.25. So it takes 4 babies to make up one "patient"-so those four babies count as 2 patients and than our ideal workload is six moms and their six babies. Or 2 NICU moms and the rest couplets. We *usually* have five couplets as a max (and that is unsafe, but what do I know?)-three delivery days and the others established, going home couplets. They often, though, are the ones under phototherapy, IV Meds -awaiting cultures. So we attend to, change diapers, chart, VS etc on a patient that does not "count". To top it off, if someone comes in in labor and whoever is crosstrained (I am ) we "pass off" couplets as neccessary to an available RN-usually your freshest deliveries and assume the laboring patient. Usually you hope and pray this happens near the end of the shift so your end of night rounds are not so hectic. We have wonderful teamwork though and that helps. If I am in charge (which I am 95% of the time) my workload cannot be more than 2 establised couplets and 1 laboring. (I instituted that limit myself because we have a 39 bed unit and it is quite an undertaking to be in charge of all of that.

Thanks:o

SuperFlyRN

108 Posts

Specializes in ER, Tele, L&D. ICU.

All the provinces in Canada do nursing care different in every province. My fellow classmate works in Alberta and her patient assignment is very different as is my friend that works in BC. It is different all over Canada. On my unit, if they can get away with it-they will. Because we were given Grant money for an LBRP, damn, it better work-come hell or high water for management-usually at our expense.

They abhor OT and will bandaid every situation until absolutely necessary. Even management has come in to help and that is against our union.

BTW, my previous post-that night/assignment was by far the worst I have ever had-it is certainly not the "norm" and of course that is when bad things happen-thus my post. I am sorry I did not give the back story leading up to my comments, I was not looking for criticism, merely some support on what turned out to be an awful night and I usually discuss things with my co-workers (who witnessed it first hand) but did not leave until 0830 once all the paperwork was completed.:(

camay1221_RN

324 Posts

SuperFlyRN ~ You have such a poor attitude. Why are you in this profession?

Why is it funny when a new dad can't change a diaper, but ridiculous when a mom can't? Everybody needs to learn sometime. If your job is that hectic maybe you should look elsewhere for employment.

As far as advising new parents to take a b'fding class......I don't think it's doing much good on a nursing board. IMO, OBs really drop the ball in this area. They are the ones who should be educating expectant parents. You can't blame a new parent for not knowing what they don't know they should know. I DID take a class (with my husband) with my first child. He was 5 weeks early so they cut me some slack I guess. When my second child was born, I needed assistance at first....MAN, I bet you would have thought I was ignorant, huh!!

If you don't have time for such petty tasks, what DO you have time for??

It sounds as if you are missing the point of the person who posted she doesn't have time. Seven mom/baby dyads is an overload to say the least! Goodness, we rarely take four mom/baby dyads, and even then our time with each breastfeeding mom can be very limited. I can't imagine trying to help seven moms, especially if everyone wants BF help at or near the same time.

I don't mean to be rude with this, but if you are still a student, I would hope you have some flexibility in your thinking before making judgment about a job you have yet experience.

nurse_clown

227 Posts

Her profile says she is in Canada - maybe things are different there?

are things different in canada? i'm a canadian nurse. a lot of my friends have gone to practice in the U.S. there has to be a reason for that. they say the $$ is better and the work environment is better. i'm not an O.B. nurse but on my unit (oncology) our nurse patient ratio is 1 R.N. and half an RPN for 14 patients. all together our oncology unit has 32 beds. i realize the math doesn't add up but they always send an RPN "offsite" with a patient. (they treat the RPN's like crap which is offensive) we also have two "flex" beds so we can squeeze in the febrile neutropenia patients that are direct admits from the day stay unit. during the day there are more staff and there's one R.N and half an RPN to 10 patients. It's busier during the day with all the admissions, baths, tests, biopsies, chest tubes, CVADS, CADD's, chemo treatment and transportation to and from radiation. i don't know any better so, i don't usually complain about the work load. i've heard of others complaining about the workload and threaten to file a "workload grievance" but there just isn't time to do that. so, if no one officially complains, nothing gets done. i just whine about the paperwork, administrative duties and getting stuck with the "charge nurse" duties. it makes my hand cramp!

as for OB, I've never been there. only as a patient. i had a c-section so i was pretty drugged on demerol. there is a "special care nursery" and i saw eight of those little infant isolets. when my son was in the special care nursery, there was one R.N. and one RPN. i spent most of my time crying and babbling because i was so drugged and useless. they mostly dealt with my husband who was pretty confident and they liked him.

i think i'm getting off topic here but i don't know if things are different in Canada. i've never been to the U.S. i've been too chicken to travel anywhere. but i've noticed a lot of canadian nurses flocking to the US for "better opportunities." are things better in the US?

nurse_clown

227 Posts

I am all for breastfeeding-but please new mothers...take a class, read a book, do not rely on "the nurses" to help you-solely. I have seven new mothers, I cannot physically be there for every 2 1/2 hour feeding for every mom. All it takes is ONE difficult feeder and your night is done. Then I have to do all my other nursing duties.

We are there for support but it is a large undertaking and it is very sressful. And please, do it for the right reasons, not because you SHOULD.

i took classes and i read books. i was also a "high risk" infant nurse for the children's aid society. i don't know why, but all that went out the window when i delivered my kids. i felt so stupid and like such a bad mother for not remembering. i could change a diaper but it took forever because i was so afraid of hurting the baby. i was afraid of the nurses because (i doubt it was intentional) they made me feel so inadequate because i couldn't breast feed right away. reall, i doubt they were making me feel that way, but i felt that way none-the-less. must have been the post partum depression.

the good thing was, they referred me to a public health nurse for breast feeding support. she came to my home and amazingly i started producing breast milk. i thought that was nice.

amahys

6 Posts

The breast or not the breast - this is the question. Sure! Breastfeeding is the best for baby (and even mom in most cases - quicker pregnancy recovery due to hormones). However, no nurse, md, or caregiver, in my opinion have the right to look down on mom for making a different decision. Often, surgeries, inability, and medications are at play, but personal choice is ALSO something to be regarded. The nurse doesn't know moms situation - perhaps pumping, freezing milk, staying home w/ baby for ever beckon call ISN'T in her parenting plan? It's mom's decision. That's final, and I, as a nurse will ALWAYS respect moms decision first before my own feelings override.

Schmoo1022

520 Posts

Hi there,

I was the original poster on this thread and even though I haven't responded much,(I am 8 months pregnant myself) I have been reading. I was just wondering what everyone thought about exclusively pumping moms??

Gompers, BSN, RN

2,691 Posts

Specializes in NICU.
Hi there,

I was the original poster on this thread and even though I haven't responded much,(I am 8 months pregnant myself) I have been reading. I was just wondering what everyone thought about exclusively pumping moms??

I know a lot of moms who have done that. Many had preemies in the NICU, got used to pumping, and just continued that when the baby went home. A lot of times, if the mom had twins or triplets, she would just do this instead of actually breastfeeding - this way, she could pump and be done in 20 minutes, and she could have other people helping feed the babies. I also know of moms whose babies never quite got the idea of latching on, so they just pumped instead. It's useful when you need to know exactly how much the baby is eating (like if the baby is jaundiced) or when mom is exhausted and there are other people who are available to help with feedings.

SuperFlyRN

108 Posts

Specializes in ER, Tele, L&D. ICU.
Hi there,

I was the original poster on this thread and even though I haven't responded much,(I am 8 months pregnant myself) I have been reading. I was just wondering what everyone thought about exclusively pumping moms??

I was a section and my son was in NI for 2 weeks. He was bottle fed for the first week. I decided to pump on the sixth day to see what all the fuss was about, got some milk and actually put him to breast at 3 weeks of age he took to it like the hungry infant he was and I then successfully BF him for 1 year (pumped at work)

Good Luck

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