hospital obligation to bf....
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| Mon, 08-30-2004 - 10:15am |
2 recent incidences I've come across IRL spark this question.
MY SIL just delivered in a hospital I routinely refer to as a "baby-factory" They have a 33% section rate and are "very" interventionist. However, they have the best NICU in the area and many people choose it for that reason alone (ot, but that makes no sense to me unless you know you have a high-risk baby -- i delivered another hopspital which could've had my children there in under 10 minuts if necessary -- but i digress).
Anyway, i had heard some really awful things about the pp nurses at said hopsital...2 friends were told they had 20 min to latch the baby on -- if not, she had to have a bottle right then and there...ugh. SIL had a pretty average delivery and felt great. my new neice latched on well and all was going fine in the hospital. However, she was pushed EVERY time a nurse came in to give her a bottle because "her milk wouldn't be in for days and the baby would starve." SIL had taken a bf class which offered much conflicting information to what the pp nurses said, so she refused the formula. When I came to visit she asked me if she was right to refuse, and she also called the bf instructor. I later learned that this hospital has "done away" with lactaction services. One pp nurse happens to be an LC so if you're lucky you get her.
Another friend had a section for a breech recently and her husband was unable to spend nights at the hospital (they have an older child). She was not alllowed to nurse the baby unless she had a visitor in the room or a nurse. They would not leave her alone with the baby given the medication she had been on for "safety reasons." She only nursed the baby a handful times...in fact she barely spent much time with the baby as caring for her other child prevented DH from being there more than a few hours and her family is not local. When the baby was in the nursery he had formula; if DH was there, she nursed.
Is a hospital obligated to help a mother establish a good bF relationship? A hospital is obligated to provide a low-salt diet to a high blood pressure patient. Given the medical recommendation to BF and the critical early days, is this any different?
p.s. Both babies are currently nursing well despite these scenarios. However, I think it's just as likely things could've went south.
p.p.s. I'm barely even lurking anymore -- busy summer, too mnay beach days and i'm also feeling a bit green -- 16 weeks pg. However, I hope to be able to jump back in soon?

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My mother got to stay a whole 7 days w/each of us!!! My sister & I keep telling her we are sooooooooo jealous!!!!
I don't think anyone ever suggested charging for *helping* a mom with formula.
Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons.
Your allowed to room in as long as the baby sleeps in the basinet when mom is sleeping.
They have never had a seemingly healthy baby die while in the hospital.
But formula feeding IS easier.
Although I have no intention of going back and finding the posts that brought me into the debate.
I wouldn't give up our insurance plans we have with our jobs for overall basic plan.
Dh & I have discussed that. Our insurance we have with his company is too good to leave. I've got good insurance through teaching.
Paige
Your right. It doesn't have to be accepted by the parents. But not enough complaints are happening to make any changes.
I have not had any parents over the years to say to me "I don't like what they serve for lunch". "I send my kid's lunch because I don't approve of what they serve in the cafeteria". "I don't appreciate kids bringing poptarts for their snacks. They should bring carrot sticks like my kid". "I don't want my kid having the treats provided at the Valentine party because we don't eat those".
Paige
Okay, this is a serious question, and not a sarcastic one... honest!
So, what would they do if 'Mom' outright refused to NOT sleep with the baby? Wrestle the baby away from her? Call social workers, and have the child removed from her care? Refuse her demand for privacy? Kick her out of the hospital (before her alloted 24 hrs/vaginal-96 hrs/c-section)? Badger and aggravate her to tears?
Again, I'm not disbelieving, I'm just wondering how/how they might handle a situation where a Mother was insistent upon co-sleeping. And, depending on the position of the mom/parents (and how litigious they might be), couldn't a situation like this end in LAWSUIT in either case?
Just curious. I swear... I'd love to go to hospital with such a policy, and push the limits. It's the rebel in me...
Jani
Jani
"Laughter is an orgasm triggered by the intercourse of sense and nonsense."
No it's not. Who told you that? And, just who is it supposed to be "easier" for/on? Certainly not the baby...
<>
Agreed. But, no able-bodied, sound-of-mind, woman/parent *NEEDS* someone else to take responsibility for the preparation or action of feeding their child. Hospitals should not actively or passively allow that responsibility to fall on anyone OTHER than the responsible parties...the parents.
Hospitals *definitely* shouldn't actively pursue policies/practices in support of substandard health choices, nor should they promote them above & beyond sound, standard medical advice. They certainly shouldn't take the medical/scientific low road, and promote artificial formula as something desirable, with an arbitrary 'ease of use' clause that might cloud an exhausted/hormonal new mother's judgment.
Jani
Jani
"Laughter is an orgasm triggered by the intercourse of sense and nonsense."
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