After posting information about the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative, and realizing even though the facilities in my city have the sign posted in their birthing units that we come no where near reaching the requirements, I sent a letter to the Alberta Health Services to enquire about just one part of the requirements, a Breastfeeding Policy.
As of right now there is no policy, and I am hoping to get the ball moving so they can be close to achieving a breastfeeding policy. Having this policy in place can make sure that all their staff is knowledgeable in current breastfeeding practices, the importance of breastfeeding, importance of keeping the mother and baby(ies) together and if possible skin-to-skin immediately after birth, and is able to fully educate a woman on the importance of breast milk for the baby(ies) and for herself. Just by having all staff members that will be in contact with new mothers and babies will help increase the rate of breastfeeding in our city.
Here in the letter I sent them.
I was wondering what your policies were for breastfeeding. If you have a policy, what is it and is it communicated to your staff regularly?
Are all staff members that are in contact with mothers and their newborns skilled and trained in breastfeeding and lactation?
Thank you for your time.
Letter from AHS(don't be surprised that they didn't answer all the questions I asked);
Dear Ms. Dean,
Thank you for writing to Alberta Health Services on November 26, 2009 regarding breastfeeding.
Alberta Health Services does not have a policy on breastfeeding, however a policy usually offers guiding principles and may not deal with something that specific.
If you can let us know more about why you are asking your questions, we can provide information that better matches your need. For example, are you planning to have a child and are enquiring on your own behalf? Have you got a particular concern about breastfeeding?
Again, thank you for contacting Alberta Health Services.
So, as of right now our hospitals have no Breastfeeding policy to help our new parents, and we are not sure if the staff who are in direct contact of these women and their newborns are even trained, skilled or knowledgeable about breastfeeding and lactation. That isn't good enough for this city.
I have sent them an email in response and asked them to either start moving towards meeting the requirements of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiatve and the Baby-Friendly Initiative or to remove all their signs from their birthing facilities. So now we have to wait and see what happens.
CHANGE IS COMING!
Much Love
Marissa
What is the problem with the signs? I'm not sure I've seen any, so I don't know what they say or why they'd be offensive that you'd want them removed. Are they anti-breastfeeding in some way? I do remember some of the signs at the vaxination clinics saying that mothers are welcome to breastfeed anywhere they wish. Has that changed?
ReplyDeleteI've always found the staff exceptionally encouraging of breastfeeding mothers, especially after birth. They are always asking if moms need any help with breastfeeding and have daily classes in the post-partum unit. For me, it got to the point of being annoying because the nurses are in and out constantly and always bugging me to see if I need help and how it's going. All of the nurses are trained, skilled and knowledgeable about breastfeeding and there is a lactation consultant available as well. What are you looking for them to change specifically? Where are your generalizations about this failure in the system coming from? You have no personal experience birthing in a facility here, and I can tell you from personal experience twice that they bend over backwards to help new moms initiate a good breastfeeding relationship. They were even more helpful after my c-section helping me find positions that worked and seeing how it was going for me. I know lots of other moms who had the same experience. Also, rooming in is the only option at the Rockyview for sure, unless the baby is in the special care nursery - they don't have a regular staffed nursery anymore. They also always ask moms if they want baby placed directly onto her chest after birth as well. So while you may not see a public policy in place it may just be that some of these measures are so obvious they see no need to make a statement about them.
I guess I'm just wondering where you are getting your information from? Friends with bad experiences? Assumptions based on the crap-tastic American system...where there are a lot of hospitals where they take measures against these things for their own convenience. It's definitely not the same here.
Also wanted to note my questions aren't at all meant to come off as inflammatory towards you in any way. Genuine bewilderment as to how you've come to the conclusions that you have.
ReplyDeleteThe one area that I can see room for improvement is with regards to the benefits of breastfeeding. It is talked about in the breastfeeding class (which is subsidized for those who can't afford it so lack of accessibility is not an excuse). But there is so much good information out there that could be reaching more mothers for sure. Perhaps if you took the approach of seeing how you can be an asset towards change within the system instead of calling it out you would get a more pro-active response? Come up with a small pamphlet or brochure with the best information about breastfeeding as well as links to help moms learn more. You posted one a while back about 100 benefits of breastfeeding or something like that - it had all kinds of info I had no idea about but was glad to know. See if you can get something like that in circulation at clinics and other places frequented by pregnant and new moms. They do have some info out there but more can't hurt.
Just read your post about the mother-friendly initiative and I see where you would have a problem with them posting signs about being part of that, when many of their practices aren't in line with it. Some can't be - in birthing rooms there isn't room for unlimited people there as support. But they've swung completely in the opposite direction only allowing 2 people period. They need to find balance, but I think they're struggling with it. And so many of the interventions that could be avoided become routine because of the high rate of epidurals - a nurse at the Rockyview told me their epi rate is 98%. So all of the interventions, as well as crappy positioning and resultant c-sections are going to be a result of that. It's a terrible cycle.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I haven't birthed there, but i have experienced some crappy things there at some births I have attended. And it really seems to depend on the nurses you get during your postpartum stay.
ReplyDeleteI have had clients and friends who have told me how frustrated and upset they are with the lack of help they had breastfeeding. So it is very much dependant on the staff that day.
I know a woman (acutally 2) who had a breast reduction surgery and were having some difficulty with breastfeeding. One while in hospital was seen by the lactation consultant, but she didn't watch her nurse the baby and just put her on a formula feeding schedule, because that was easier. The second had to go to several different Public Health Nurses and clinics before someone would help her figure out why she wouldn't let down. She was told by doctors to just get some bottles and formula.
Having a Breastfeeding policy will definately make sure ALL the staff are on the same page.
i have heard some are pretty annoying too. My friend had one who would just come in and lift up her shirt and grab her boobs, without talking. Totally man handled her, she was pissed.
I just want the hospital to stop lying, either you comply with being Mother-Friendly (which includes needing to be Baby-Friendly) or you take down the signs. And a clear breastfeeding policy set out and regularly communicated to staff is a very very small step in the right direction, but could be one of the easiest ones to make.
I totally understand where you are coming from at first, but glad you read the rest of the posts Jenna.
On another note, Jenna, I will be taking a course so I can teach childbirth education classes and am working with another Doula and will be helping her out at the Trade show in February. She has made up a bunch of pamflets and are trying to find places to hand them out.
ReplyDeleteIt is just taking some time, slow going.
By the way, love your new belly pics, you look so cute when you are pregnant! Much Love
It sucks that there isn't consistency and in that regard a policy would make a world of difference. I didn't realize the signs you were talking about had to do with the mother-friendly initiative - I thought you meant the breastfeeding ones which was why I was confused.
ReplyDeleteWhat trade show are you talking about in February? I've never heard of one. Is it general trades, or having to do with birth and babies in particular?
Thanks (about the belly pics). I enjoy being pregnant...even when it's not enjoyable. I'm lucky - I have some friends who have very difficult pregnancies. One who suffered through infertility and while thankful to get pregnant did NOT enjoy it. Poor thing. I felt terribly for her.
I believe it is the Womens Trade Show. I will have to double check that though.
ReplyDeleteDid I not make it clear in my post that I meant the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative? I will edit it to makesure I am clear on which sign I am talking about.
You mentioned signs I just didn't know which signs you meant. It makes sense now that I've caught myself up on the rest of your blog though :D
ReplyDelete