advocacy ideas

[annebanane]

I gave birth at a hospital (blech, never ever ever again) that had a really outdated anti-breastfeeding policy that really jeopardized our breastfeeding sucess. They called the policy the '4 hour feeding policy' which meant that unless you could pump 15oz of breastmilk every 4 hours (which i couldn't do right after giving birth, now i have enough milk for the whole block) they would give your baby 15oz of formula. I was having difficulty latching my son on and asked to see a doctor or a lactation consultant and was refused every time. I kept on trying to nurse and everytime they tried to give him formula I would protest but to no avail. I ended up lying to two doctors so I could leave the hospital early and after a very frusterating night finding a wonderful lactation consultant who really saved the day, but we had to pay for on our own. I have heard of no other canadian hospital that has a '4 hour feeding policy' which in my mind might as well be called a formula policy but what I find the most frusterating is that there was absolutely NO breastfeeding help available at this hospital from anyone and to give formula to a baby against the parents will seems a bit much. Anyway my son is 16 months old now and happily breastfeeding but every once and a while I think of the '4 hour feeding policy' and feel really angry. How many babies and mamas have been sabotaged by this foolish policy that has no basis? So I would like to do something but I just don't know where to start. Do I write letters? If so to whom? I would really like some advice from more experienced lactavists out there.


thanks,

Anne :

[Gidget]

I would write letters and get to the heart of the issue. Find out who implemented such crappy policies for starters, then take it from there. Find out how long this policy has been in place and how to change it. If you know other nursing mothers get them together for some support. I don't know if there is a way to get signatures to protest or how it all works when it comes to the hospital. Good luck and I feel for those who were too timid to go against the stupid people there.

[Janice in Canada]

I would really like some advice from more experienced lactavists out there.

I may be what you are looking for. I'm the consumer rep on the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada, and have been very active in advocacy in Canada for over 5 years.

Please tell me what hospital it was. You can email me at [e-mail] and I will send you my newsletter which will get you started on how to write a letter, etc.

Janice

[Sustainer]

Originally Posted by annebanane

to give formula to a baby against the parents will seems a bit much.

"a bit much"? Understatement of the year! I would be MURDEROUS!!

[Quirky]

Are you serious? 15 ounces of breastmilk every 4 hours? I don't think I've ever met anyone who could do that when their milk supply is in (well, maybe if they had a serious oversupply problem) let alone right after baby was born. An ounce or two would be more like it!

Sounds like these people know NOTHING about breastfeeding. They need some serious education. I would start complaining all the way up the food chain going into governmental oversight agencies if necessary - they are jeopardizing the health of the babies and the mothers who pass through their care (and I use the term loosely).

[Janice in Canada]

annebanane has gotten in touch with me, and I'll get her in touch with some advocates in her area.

BTW, the hospital is in the Province of Quebec. They have had very terrible breastfeeding rates, but are one of the "most improved" provinces, now.

From the lastest Quintessence Foundation Newsletter, it is the province with the biggest increase in initiation (71%), and the most Baby Friendly Hospitals in Canada (2 - including the first).

Interestingly, they have recently published a document that made the Baby Friendly Initiative the LAW in Quebec. (Quebec runs itself somewhat independently from the rest of Canada - therefore they call this a "national" law, but its for the province of Quebec).

So that means all hospitals MUST be working towards BFI - their is no choice. This is relatively new, and each hospital has its own journey to BFI. I recently met an LC there - it is her JOB to help a certain number of hospitals in her area, become BFI. She actually has a full-time job doing this.

So although this situation is atrocious (I've never heard of something this horrible in a Cdn hospital), there is a lot of good things happening in Quebec.

Janice

[Sustainer]

Originally Posted by Quirky

Sounds like these people know NOTHING about breastfeeding.

Either that or they DO know about breastfeeding and they are deliberately sabotaging it

[BlueStateMama]

Good to have you on the case Janice!!

Can you have yourself cloned and send reinforcements to the States???

[SaraJ]

Are you sure your numbers are right? I only ask, because from what you are posting, they are insisting on giving an average of 3 OUNCES AN HOUR to newborns, be it breastmilk or formula??? I have never heard of a newborn taking so much! A couple ounces every 3 hours maybe!

[annebanane]

oops

sorry, in my original post i stated that the policy was to pump 15 ounces of breastmilk. What I meant to say was 15ml of breastmilk! My mistake, apologies all round. I could pump 8 ml of colostrum when my son was first born, but that was deemed inadequate by the nurses and dumped. argh i get angry just thinking about it.

anyway, sorry about the error. I am just getting a bit of a giggle imagining trying to pump 15 oz in one sitting! I wonder if I would need on of those industrial cow milkers they use on farms?

[annettemarie]

They DUMPED your colostrum?!?!!?
Oh my gosh, I would be furious! Please, please, please keep us updated!

Annette

[Sustainer]

Originally Posted by annebanane

I could pump 8 ml of colostrum when my son was first born, but that was deemed inadequate by the nurses and dumped.

Ack! Those... those...
How dare they!! That is an outrage!
I can't think of a bad enough word!

[mama24-7]

Originally Posted by Sustainer

Either that or they DO know about breastfeeding and they are deliberately sabotaging it

This hospital is obviously looking for lots of repeat business in the future w/ children and adults w/ cancer, obesity issues, etc., etc.

Yes, keep us posted!

Sus

[Sustainer]

What hospital was this?! Nestle General?!

Forgive me, I'm still seething...

[Dmitrizmom]

FWIW (conversion info) 15 mL is 0.5 oz.

to the hospital and their staff for the behavior at the time of Anne's dc's birth : There is a very violent angry mama in me right now that wants to crawl out and hurt badly the nurses who DUMPED the colostrum and said it was inadequate.

to Anne for the crud they put you thru and for wanting to improve the situation

To Janice for helping to spread the word and for your expertise in bf activism!

ITA that the only mama's producing that much (talking about 15 oz here) milk within a couple day pp, are those who have oversupply - I'm one of 'em. but it did enable me to help other babies and mama's thru donations to a milk bank.

[Quirky]

Well, 15 ounces or 15 ml, it's still a completely bogus policy. Too bad we don't have see-through breasts marked with gradations so they can see how much baby is getting.

I'm very glad nursing worked out for the OP....I can only feel sorrow for the many nursing couples who got completely screwed by this stupid system!

[carolsly]

Originally Posted by Quirky

Well, 15 ounces or 15 ml, it's still a completely bogus policy. Too bad we don't have see-through breasts marked with gradations so they can see how much baby is getting.

There is..change the cloth diaper..how often are you doing this?? If you're using sposies..who knows how much is in there..they say to weigh the diaper..who has a scale to weight a sposie..in their house..??



We don't need see through breasts..we're washing cloth diapers!!

[SaraJ]

Ok, whew, glad to hear!!! I was having visions of them trying to stuff 3oz of whatever an hour into those poor babies!

Still a bad policy though!