I apologize

[PatienceAndLove]

Background-

I work as a phlebotomist, and on Sundays I work at the "main" facility where we see a wide variety of people.

Today, a mother brought her daughter in.  I don't know the child's age, but I would guess around 1 year of age.  The child was nervous about being at the facility, so mama started breastfeeding the child in the waiting room.

I was drawing another patient, so one of the other phlebotomists called the mother back.  The mother continued to breastfeed the child.  I walked my patient out, and saw her breastfeeding as she waiting for the phlebotomist to come back with the orders the doctor faxed in.

Well... my fellow phlebotomist was upset and flustered that the mother was breastfeeding.  I offered to take over, but she refused.  And I hate to say it, but her attitude colored the care she gave.

So... to all the mamas out there who are given sub-par care because someone can't get over themselves or move on from the fact that you are breastfeeding- I am sorry.

[atpeace]

Very valuable post. I work in health care too, and have yet to experience this personally. But I think it needs to be acknowledged. 

[annettemarie]

Wow. Did you say anything to your coworker?

[PatienceAndLove]

Other than that I would take the patient and her mother if the breastfeeding bothered her, no.

She has years more time with the company and is actually the "lead" at another facility within the company.  It would have been strange to have said something to someone in the same position as my boss.

In hind sight, I should have.

[LUCKYLU]

In the uk the nhs are trying to promote breastfeeding but a couple of the nurses seem embarrassed when i've breast fed my baby who happened to be kept in over night in a private room. I'm not embarrassed, why are they? Surely as a nurse you see more 'shocking' things than breastfeeding, wellbeing of children especially in a children's hospital should be paramount. I even had someone gasping and another tutting in the waiting room as i breastfed my baby who had been vomitting profusely and also vomitting blood. I was very discreet but people need to consider the possibly dehydrated breastfed babies when they are out in public xxx

 

 

[Heba]

Oh sadly many (notall, though!) people working in the NHS are very unsupportive of breastfeeding, and there's a lot of ignorance.  We have a looooong way to go........

[atpeace]

Originally Posted by LUCKYLU 

In the uk the nhs are trying to promote breastfeeding but a couple of the nurses seem embarrassed when i've breast fed my baby who happened to be kept in over night in a private room. I'm not embarrassed, why are they? Surely as a nurse you see more 'shocking' things than breastfeeding, wellbeing of children especially in a children's hospital should be paramount. I even had someone gasping and another tutting in the waiting room as i breastfed my baby who had been vomitting profusely and also vomitting blood. I was very discreet but people need to consider the possibly dehydrated breastfed babies when they are out in public xxx

 

 

Totally agree! Seriously nurses, get over it! I'm an RN and have seen more penises and vaginas and breasts than I care to remember. It's just a part of the body! Yeesh. That's so sad that we still get those kinds of reactions. It just shows that breastfeeding and breasts are still not normalized in our cultures and remain a taboo. 

[BreastsTheMovie]

That is just sad that the "fellow phlebotomist" would have such a problem with it.  

I spent a little time in a NICU at a pro-breastfeeing hospital and it seemed there was quite a lot of pressure for moms to just pump the milk.  Then, anytime a mom breastfed they'd draw the curtains around her and make a really big deal out of trying to ensure her privacy.  The doctors even talked to the moms through the curtains and became uncomfortable if the mom pulled them open to see the doctor that was talking to her.  As someone else pointed out above you'd think everyone would have seen plenty of breasts and other body parts so not to be offended by them.