[Search for users]
[Overall Top Noters]
[List of all Conferences]
[Download this site]
| Title: | ARCHIVE-- Topics of Interest to Women, Volume 2 --ARCHIVE |
| Notice: | V2 is closed. TURRIS::WOMANNOTES-V5 is open. |
| Moderator: | REGENT::BROOMHEAD |
|
| Created: | Thu Jan 30 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 30 1995 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1105 |
| Total number of notes: | 36379 |
693.0. "Massachusetts Perinatal Regulations" by AKOV13::MACDOWELL () Tue Jul 11 1989 11:05
Massachusetts is currently redrafting their "Perinatal Regulations", which
set guidelines for hospital procedures after the birth of a baby. Current
hospital procedures can interfere with a successful breastfeeding experience
for women who want to breastfeed. Below is a draft of a letter to the
Commissioner of Public Health in support of specific language concerning
practices which affect breastfeeding. Please note that these regulations would
not affect women who chose not to breastfeed--it would, however, minimize
difficulties for women who want to.
Support is needed as there is opposition from some "vested interests"--in
particular the formula companies who give away the "free samples".
I hope this is an an "okay" forum to try to rally this type of support.
If not, please feel free to move or delete.(I've cross-posted this in
Parenting)
Thanks
Susan
Deborah Prothrow-Smith, Commissioner
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
150 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02111
Dear Commissioner Prothrow-Smith:
I am in favor of the specific, detailed language of the Perinatal Regulations
as shown below. I believe that by following these cited practices women are
more likely to be able to successfully breastfeed their babies.
1. No standing orders for anti-lactation drugs.
2. Encouragement of breastfeeding as soon after birth as
the baby is interested.
3. Frequent nursing periods based on the infant's needs.
4. Supplemental bottle feeding for medical reasons only.
5. Sample formula and/or formula equipment distributed
only when an individual physician order is written.
Unless such specific language is written into the Perinatal Regulations,
hospitals can state that they are "supportive of breast feeding" while still
promoting policies and practices that interfere with successful lactation.
The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses breastfeeding as the preferred
method of infant feeding and makes the following suggestions on methods of
encouraging breastfeeding:
"Hospitals should promote breastfeeding by keeping
mothers and babies together, encouraging demand feeding,
and discouraging routine supplementary formula feeding.
Maternity services are urged to strengthen ties with
organizations committed to breastfeeding such as La
Leche League."
Since lactation customarily begins in the hospital setting, it is crucial that
hospitals actively support those policies which will enable mothers to be able
to successfully breastfeed their babies. I urge the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts to include detailed, specific language assuring successful
lactation in its Perinatal Regulations.
Yours truly,
| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 693.1 | regulations sometimes bring distress | AQUA::WALKER | | Tue Jul 11 1989 12:00 | 10 |
| I did not realize that there were 'regulations' in place. I just
thought that after I had instructed my doctor that I wished to
breastfeed my son that the nurse had made a mistake when she gave
me the anti-lactation pill (which I refused to take). I just thought
that the staff was lazy or incompetent when they did not bring my
son to me during the night and only three times during the day!
I am amazed that 18 years later there are still 'regulations'
in place to thwart a mother in her choice of how to feed her own
child and how often she should hold her own infant!
|
| 693.2 | Its gotten more subtle, but it's still there. | DICKNS::STANLEY | What a long, strange trip its been | Wed Jul 12 1989 14:52 | 6 |
| My son was twenty years old last week, but I still remember two
nurses standing outside of my hospital room door and discussing
very loudly how "animalistic" it was to nurse and how very vulgar
and "low class" I must be to even want to attempt it.
I see from your note that that element still exists.
|
| 693.3 | Hospitals can be Difficult | COMET::HULTENGREN | | Fri Jul 21 1989 17:21 | 39 |
| I also had a bad first experiance the first time. The nurses would
bring Ange to me already feed. I insisted that no one feed her and
would not willingly take her back to the nursury. At 10:30 or 11:00
a frantic nurse would come in and scold me for dozing with her in
my arms. I still dont believe that a mother can actually roll over
on her baby when its cradled in her arms.
Six years later and in a public hospital and a different state.
My GYN was aware of the first "bad impression" told the nurses that
I would be responcible for the care of my child. I gave written
instructions that NO ONE was to feed or bathe my child without my
verbal OK. I wanted to be the sole careprovider. The staff was
miffed and I reminded them that I would probally have another child
and take my business elswhere next time as well as leave ASAP if
there was a problem.
My son was a HUGE baby and was delivered without a ???(cut in the
perineum). The pediatrition was worried that he would not get enough
fluids. They also seemed to worry that I would nurse "too long"
to start. So I would tell them what they wanted to hear (nurse for
5 min on each side to start and build to 10 min each) Then nurse
him for as long as was comfortable for us. This turned out to be
15 to 20 minutes on each sid eany time he was awake. WHen my milk
came in during the night Devin drank for 1 hr at least I was not
engorged ever with him.
My second son drank less and I needed to pump milk and store it
in order to be comfortable. I was pumping 6 to 9 oz extra a day.
The hopitals seem to be happy if the baby and mom are happy with
whats going on. I did make sure they understood that I would be
responible for my decisions for MY child. They understood that I
felt that they were only a nessecary legal requiremant.(If you dont
have a doctor who will deliver at your home you must deliver in
a hospital or risk having a doctor turn you down when there is
real trouble.
because midwifes are not legal in Colorado
of time is
|