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  • Title: Harmful hospital practices in breast-feeding.
    Author: Nolte A.
    Journal: Nurs RSA; 1989 Feb; 4(2):10-2. PubMed ID: 2770846.
    Abstract:
    The most important harmful practices in hospitals that discourage effective breast feeding are discussed, then new approaches to improve teaching of breast feeding are explored. These most harmful practices are lack of advice to mothers, inconsistent advice by different staff members and rigid systems such as feeding routines and separate rooms. Breastfeeding is a learned behavior, coinciding with maternal-infant bonding, 3-4 days postpartum. Nurses can facilitate the learning process by establishing a favorable environment and attending to the mother's psychological needs. Skilled lactation consultants have been shown to raise the percentage of successful breastfeeding mothers, especially now that new mothers are going home 2-3 days after childbirth, and subsequent problems such as engorged breasts usually occur later on. Studies have revealed wide variations in attitudes, advice, suggested treatments, and even definitions of what constitutes successful breastfeeding. Each hospital should have a scientifically based philosophy of breastfeeding, that is flexible enough to allow for the individual needs of each mother-baby pair. A systematic plan for need identification, implementation and evaluation is vital. Each mother's expectations and goals should be assessed. She should be taught the basis of successful breastfeeding, e.g. the need for demand feeding, but her own wishes should be supported.
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