Pardon my ranting...

[indiemamma]

I need to vent, and also ask for some advice... what would you do if you were a full-time student, tandem nursing mom who is part of a Doula community that seems so uninformed?? I feel like I should do an inservice/training if this is the information our Doulas have, but I REALLY don't have time. Help!

I just had a frustrating conversation with a new Doula who called me for some breastfeeding advice for a client of hers. The client is three days post-partum and uncomfortably engorged. Apparently her right breast is so full that the baby can't latch on. The Doula actually told her to nurse on the left side and then SKIP the right side and give the baby formula so that the right side will "go down" eventually!!!! I freaked out and tried not to yell at the Doula as I explained supply and demand, the importance of the Third Day and to put that mommy to bed with her baby to get breastfeeding established! The Doula is a good friend of mine, but she's an older mom (not a bad thing, just her youngest is in highschool so she hasn't breastfeed in a while) who had bad advice when SHE was breastfeeding.

What would you do?

[meganmarie]

If she's a new doula, I assume she's aware that she still has learning to do and perhaps even eager to learn. If she's a good friend, I assume she's open to your help.
So, in that case I would get her email address and supply her with a set of resources that can get her what she needs. Links to the best online reading (Kellymom, LLL website, whatever) and a recommended reading list. I might even give her a couple books as gifts if she really seemed open to reading.

Or, if she was reluctant to do a lot of research and get better informed, then I might politely suggest her main focus remain on birthing support (she's a labor doula, not post-partum I hope?? If so then her training would not have covered bfing as much) and that she can help her new moms best by referring them to experts. You could include a list of local LLL leaders and lactation consultants in the "resource list" you send her.

[Teyu]

I think what you told her about supply and demand is good. It was probably hard not to be all WTF to her though, lol. In the early days when my son would be asleep for long stretches and one of my breasts would get too full for him to latch on, I would express some out into the sink. Not a lot! Just enough to take the edge off so that he could nurse on it. It's such simple advice!

[MilkTrance]

Wow, that's pretty bad advice.

I used to pump out an ounce or two on the engorged breast. We had latch problems so we always gave DS a couple ounces of the extra milk when he was hungry. That calmed him to be able to latch properly.

Anyway. That's what I did with my engorgement.

[Cutie Patootie]

eeeee...that is pretty bad advice.

I guess I would really talk to her about it and get her some up to date information. Thank goodness you are such good friends and she felt comfortable enough to call you. I think because she felt close enough to ask your advice, she won't be at all offended by you giving her some good research to look through.

[phreedom]

I was having an over supply problem early on. (mostly my fault though...DD would nurse and not empty them completely so I pumped for like 15 minutes after she would nurse to empty them...and well you can imagine the rest)

The LC told me to just nurse off of one side at a time and don't fully empty the other one if the baby doesn't nurse off of it. It will eventually adjust. She probably figured i would know that I needed to alternate sides...and um really I SHOULD have, but at that time I was a new, nervous, BFing mom...not a NICU nurse. I totally misunderstood her.

I BF off of one side and only one side for a week. Well the right side did adjust, and from then on the left side (one I nursed on) became a superproducer. It turned out okay but made for a very miserable week for me. It's a wonder I didn't get mastitis. I could have slapped myself for misinterpreting that.

Perhaps she misunderstood what was taught to her. For her sake and the sake of new mamas she comes in contact with...correct her