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! 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 clinical 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…
While writing your breastfeeding policy, maybe you sailed through Steps 1 and 2 of the Ten Steps. But, if you’re like many of my clients, maybe you came to a grinding halt when you started writing hospital policy to implement Step 3. Maybe you’ve read my earlier blog on this step and identified what Read more…
Policy-writing is not a fun task. Most people write a policy because it is a requirement of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Hospitals each tend to have a “house” format for their policies. This often includes a spot for the purpose of the policy. (If it doesn’t include this section, it Read more…
Professional development is more than just earning credits or passing tests or getting credentials. In fact, it’s more than just getting a new job. It’s finding and taking on self-made assignments that push you out of your comfort zone. You could do this alone! But you should never miss the Read more…
It’s the nature of the beast: Achieving Baby-Friendly designation requires buy-in from all of the hospital’s health care staff. Maybe you’ve already found that building physician support for Baby-Friendly is not always simple. From where I sit – teaching nurses and lactation consultants – questions arise about how to overcome resistance. Read more…