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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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