? About not breastfeeding

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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allnurses Guide

Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN

11,304 Posts

We call them breastfeeding nazis.

No, I do not make a new mom feel guilty. Yes I do think breastfeeding is the best way to go and I can't personally image doing anything else.

But each woman should be educated, without guilt, and then allowed to make her own decision and then supported.

steph

StuNurseUP

64 Posts

Your patient advocacy skills are lacking and new moms will pick up on that quickly, as one or two have already noted here. It's not your baby, it's not your life, and it's not your breasts being attacked!

Since when is a baby needing to eat food designed for it an attack on a woman's breasts? sheesh:uhoh3:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Here's my $0.02 on this issue.

When I was a student, my OB clinical instructor said that hospitals that serve upper middle-class clients tend to encourage breastfeeding and have up to 90 percent of new moms breastfeeding upon discharge. Also, the vast majority of these upper middle-class women deliver lady partslly if possible.

My OB clinical instructor also said that hospitals in lower socioeconomic areas with high numbers of Medicaid recipients tend to have almost zero moms who breastfeed at discharge. Also, 70 percent of the women deliver by cesarean.

I think educational level often influences whether a mother will breastfeed and how she will deliver.

tntrn, ASN, RN

1,340 Posts

Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

I've heard many moms describe it exactly like that, as an attack on their breasts. Some say it as a joke, but some are serious. It's like so many other issues: you shouldn't put yourself in the position of deciding what's best for someone else. Just give them information in an impartial manner and let them decide.

StuNurseUP

64 Posts

I wouldn't try to pressure some one to breastfeed. It makes me sad to think of these little babies not getting what they need. I have read research on breastfeeding increasing bonding with baby due to hormones released during breastfeeding. As a nurse I can't make a person not smoke...I can still educate them on the risks if they dont.

Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.
And your negative attitude about bottle feeding is very apparent here. How do you expect to support ALL your moms, when you obviously think that non breastfeeders are lazy? Your patient advocacy skills are lacking and new moms will pick up on that quickly, as one or two have already noted here. It's not your baby, it's not your life, and it's not your breasts being attacked!

And I'll just bet money you can't pick my kids out of a crowd because they weren't breastfed.

BTW, we call them the breast or nipple nazis where I work:)

talk about negative attitudes. and you seem so proud of yours.

i WISH i had had a breast nazi helping me. i had a preeemie and nurses were discouraging me from breastfeeding and letting me know over and over that it was ok not to breastfeed and in fact, if i were to breastfeed that i HAD TO use formula and mix that in with the breastmilk, because my milk was certainly not going to be enough.

they made me SICK to my stomach and i reget that experience with every fiber of my being. if i had had just one person standing up for me and advocating for me, i wouldnt have had six weeks of torture trying to get my baby to latch. he finally did, but it was no thanks to people like you.

Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.

you know, there is a difference between pressuring and advocating. breastmilk is unequivocally the standard. anything less is inferior. it isnt that breast is best, but that anything less than breast is not standard. it is inferior food. bar none.

if someone seems determined not to breastfeed, more power to them; they have their minds made up. but for those who seem confused, unsure and frightened of the prospect, advocating for what should be seen as standard care, is the only way to truly advocate for your patient. information information information.

is that being a breast nazi in your world? im curious to find out what is truly seen as being a breast nazi. this is the type of attitude that has kept me out of my calling. i want to be a midwife but i can't stand the idea of working in enviornments wherein lactation consultants are seen as the enemy and are made fun of.

Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.
I wouldn't try to pressure some one to breastfeed. It makes me sad to think of these little babies not getting what they need. I have read research on breastfeeding increasing bonding with baby due to hormones released during breastfeeding. As a nurse I can't make a person not smoke...I can still educate them on the risks if they dont.

big love to you.

tntrn, ASN, RN

1,340 Posts

Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

If you want to see something negative about the boob, breast, nipple nazi, that's your right to do so. I see it as a way to describe how much certain people believe in what they believe: to the point that no one else is right and everyone (who doesn't BF) is wrong. It's their own behavior that is negative. And not all lactation specialists or advocates fit into that category.

You get branded a nipple nazi when you barge into a room, having just heard that the newborn is over 4000 grams and without bothering to ask IF the mother plans to breastfeed, reach for her breast and insist that the baby be put to it.

You get branded a nipple nazi when you refuse to give a bottle feeding mom formula for her baby, or take the supply she has out of the room when you leave.

Instead of asking if the mom plans to breast or bottle feed, you ask, "you're going to breast feed, aren't you?" as if it's a foregone conclusion.

Altalorraine

109 Posts

I actually warn my patients who might be approached in this manner because I know which of my co-workers do that. I tell the moms that it's their decision, the whole thing has to fit into your life and that of your family, and if you're positive about it, then be strong and let the next nurse know, in a friendly but firm way. BTW, I've had patients thank me later for the warning.

It's a nurse's job to teach and promote healthy behaviors- whether that is teaching about the risks of cesarean section, the risks of smoking, the risks of drug use, or the risks of not breast feeding. It is important to be sensitive and nonjudgmental, but at the same time the fact is breastfeeding is healthier than bottle feeding for babies. I think a lot of mothers already feel a lot of guilt about not breastfeeding and they project that guilt outward and see it as coming from an external source, and then they react with hostility. Breastfeeding is better than bottle feeding; no reason to shoot the messenger even if you don't heed the message.

Altalorraine

hospitalstaph

443 Posts

Specializes in ER.
It's a nurse's job to teach and promote healthy behaviors- whether that is teaching about the risks of cesarean section, the risks of smoking, the risks of drug use, or the risks of not breast feeding. It is important to be sensitive and nonjudgmental, but at the same time the fact is breastfeeding is healthier than bottle feeding for babies. I think a lot of mothers already feel a lot of guilt about not breastfeeding and they project that guilt outward and see it as coming from an external source, and then they react with hostility. Breastfeeding is better than bottle feeding; no reason to shoot the messenger even if you don't heed the message.

Altalorraine

Very good point! Who hasn't come across an IBCLC or LLL leader that made you uncomfortable because they were so over the top. But I have met women also that seemed upset that they were given info about breastfeeding because they were not going to do THAT.

I really think that when you support lactation you walk a very thin line. You are supposed to advocate for patient health and breastfeeding obviously is very healthy. Yet, as many others have pointed out, patients cannot be forced to breastfeed.

In defense of the "over the top" nipple nazis: There is a lot of bad information out there about breastfeeding as well as myths and stereotypes. When you encounter a women that does not want to breastfeed, don't you think to yourself, "Oh she just needs educated, no one must have told her how great it was". I guess some of us that study lactation and it's benefit extensively, feel like we know so much that we just wish the general public knew. Some women that choose not to do feel guilty later, and for that I am truly sorry. However, one way to avoid the guilt is to make an informed decision, and I am afraid that in many cases women just never had correct information.

Thanks for reading,,,,,and lets all try to keep a cool head, it's just boobies:)

T

Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

Personally, if they do it great, if not, great too. It isn't my choice to make. We do encourage moms of preemies, especially the very low birthweight ones, to at least pump for a bit...the colostrum protects the gut when we start feeds. I have to say, our LC people are really good...if they ask the mom if she is going to BF and they say no, they leave it at that.

We do mix the breastmilk with supplements to increase the calories and the calcium and phosp. in the breastmilk when the kids are preemies.

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