The late, great Dr. Audrey Naylor authored six principles to reduce or eliminate risk from drugs and other substances while lactating. Published in Lactation management curriculum: A faculty guide for schools of medicine, nursing, and nutrition, (edited by Woodward-Lopez and Creer in 1994) it now appears to be out of Read more…
It’s no wonder that TRICARE (the healthcare insurance of the US armed forces) and some other leading insurance providers are now covering the cost of donor human milk for infants in several situations. There are a variety of conditions that qualify for this benefit. Likely as not, however, the biggest Read more…
Here’s a sentence I saw today in an email message. With small variations, I have seen or heard this sentence many times throughout my career:“The mother saw a breast surgeon, who did not have a vast knowledge of the lactating breast, but…” Knowing your specialty Okay, the writer is entitled Read more…
I’ve been a devoted admirer of Dr. Nils Bergman’s work for years. To celebrate Kangaroo Care Day, I interviewed him. As you know, there are literally hundreds of studies and other resources that show the efficacy of kangaroo mother care (KMC), but Dr. Bergman expanded on KMC and discussed “zero Read more…
I often hear that one of the big obstacles to “going Baby-Friendly” is getting the boss to say yes! I’m not surprised. The truth is, few – if any of us – have had good information on how to get the boss to say YES to any proposed change in Read more…
I often hear that one of the big obstacles to “going Baby-Friendly” is getting the boss to agree to a policy proposal! I’m not surprised. The truth is, few – if any of us – have had good information on how to get the boss to say YES to any Read more…
I often hear that one of the big obstacles to “going Baby-Friendly” is getting the boss to agree! This doesn’t surprise me. The truth is few, if any of us, have good information on how to get the boss to say YES to any proposed change in clinical practice. But Read more…
Wouldn’t it be grand if you could successfully influence mothers, bosses, friends, and everyone you know to promote, support, and protect breastfeeding? What if I told you that you and other healthcare professionals can influence others in this way—and more—by adhering to six simple principles from an 80-year old book? Read more…
Some years ago, a good friend of mine had just returned from a prenatal visit. She began asking me some questions about her pregnancy and anticipated birth. At the time I was working as a labor/delivery nurse, so I felt entirely qualified to provide accurate answers. However, after hearing several Read more…
Last week, a woman who was having her second baby (by repeat cesarean surgery) asked if I would come to the hospital with her. I did. She was hoping I could help her to optimize that first hour or so when breastfeeding is so important as she had been only Read more…