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I can agree with what you say here but I have another gripe about the
hospital system that never seems to be adressed by anyone - FOOD!
The hospital food for maternity ward is not really breast milk
friendly - women have a choice of generally tea or coffee - what about
Milo?
I know different hospitals are different but from my experience the
diet was low fat - lots of salad and nice and spicy foods.
For me I was craving chocolate milk and on day 4 my milk was not
in. I asked a visitor to bring in a Big M and within an hour of
drinking it my boobs were about to explode. I needed milk! All
the meals had been so low fat that they didn't give me any fat to
make milk with.
Yes water makes milk but the body also needs some fat in the diet and
I am sure that diet is a hugely important factor. I am sure that we
are not looking closely enough at what the hospital is feeding women after
the birth of their baby. This has a direct impact on the milk they
produce.
Just my thoughts!
Regards
Rhonda
-------Original Message-------
Date: Sunday, June 02,
2002 23:35:54
Subject: RE:
Melbourne's Child article
As a recent consumer, I can say that the (over) emphasis
on technique and
latch, although it is important, is very confusing.
When I had my daughter,
in a baby friendly hospital, every midwife had
a different idea about what I
was meant to be doing. Confusion is not
the word. My mind was in chaos!!!
This baby friendly hospital
recommended formula to me. So much for the 10
steps!!! Also, their LCs
were very limited in their advice. For low
supply, I was told on more
than 10 different occasions over 3 months to just
keep expressing. I
agree with the baby friendly initiative, but seeing it
1st hand, I dont
think its working. Some staff are just not committed
enough. Friends
and family who are also recent consumers have sited that
the MCHN and
midwifes in hospital (rural VIC) told them their milk did not
have
enough nutrients in it, and that it wasnt strong enough. I think
the
whole situation is worse than we think, and I am surprised that
anyone is
breastfeeding at all, considering the current climate....in
my humble
opinion!!!
Regards, Macha.
-----Original
Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
Behalf Of Johnston
Sent: Sunday, 2 June 2002 8:04 PM
To:
ozmidwifery
Subject: RE: Melbourne's Child article
Dear
Liz
While I agree wholeheartedly with most of the discussion on this,
and I
have seen the article in question, I feel I need to make a
comment about
your statement :
<
The 'baby friendly
initiative' I believe, was aimed at developing countries
whose children
were dying of diarrhoeal disease through contaminated water,
incorrect
formula and lack of hygiene. >
This is a not uncommon response, and
it worries me greatly - I believe it's
wrong. I was involved in both
the Victorian and the national BFHI set-up.
I am not actively involved
in it now, but I support the underlying
principles
wholeheartedly.
I know of no reason why every maternity service in
Australia should not
implement the '10 steps to successful
breastfeeding', and seek external
assessment through the Baby Friendly
Hospital accreditation process. This
has very little to do with dirty
water - babies die unnecessarily in
Australia too because they are not
breastfed. The reasons for failure of
breastfeeding (most are willing
to initiate breastfeeding, but the drop-off
rates are alarming) are
many. There is reliable evidence that practices
which have for many
years been common in maternity services across the
developed world,
such as separation of mother and baby, timing of feeds,
use of
artificial supplements, use of dummies and teats, advertising
of
alternatives to breastfeeding ... all contribute to early weaning.
These
are the issues that are dealt with in the global Baby Friendly
Hospital
Initiative. Sally's comments about babies who are brought into
this world
doped up to their eyeballs in narcotics are also relevant
here. These
babies and their mothers require special skilled support,
and it can all be
done within the baby friendly process. There's
nothing daunting, or
excessively focused on technique in the baby
friendly initiative that I
know about. (I'm a realist - not everyone
gets it right all the time, but
that's life!)
Finally, we all
agree that most mothers, most of the time, want what's best
for their
babies. Midwives who seek to provide woman centred care will do
all
that they can to support the mother-baby bond, working with the
natural
process, and only interfering when we have a good reason.
That's being
mother-friendly too.
Protecting, promoting and
supporting breastfeeding doesn't come easily.
There are many deterrents
in our society. Our work should be underpinned
by reliable evidence,
and I would ask anyone who knows of evidence contrary
to the BFHI '10
steps' to speak up now.
With my best wishes
Joy
Johnston
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