Dear Parents,

It's taken me years to discover the courage to contact the Fed is Best Foundation with my experiences of working in a infant-friendly infirmary.  "Infant-Friendly" is the worst thing I accept experienced in my 20 years as a NICU nurse. My colleagues and I have tried many times to express our concerns with the number of NICU admissions we receive. Eighty percent of our admissions are because of baby un- friendly protocols for hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, excessive weight loss, and dehydration in our hospital from bereft breastfeeding. Nosotros are a small unit, and we have had around 150 plus admissions last year from insufficient feeding. Sadly, we've had bad outcomes.

Many of my colleagues are very frustrated….only others take drank the kool-assist—believing drops of colostrum are all the babe needs—which is blatantly false. The lactation nurses audit charts daily and report nurses for supplementing babies, and then they go to moms' rooms to reeducate them on the "dangers" of formula—another breathy lie. The nurses who are reported must take a counseling session with management for supposedly "overfeeding" and non following "baby-friendly" protocols.

The research shows that colostrum has fewer calories than mature milk and has only 3 calories in one teaspoon. Clearly, feeding a baby drops of colostrum is NOT enough.

FIBF: The promotion of exclusive breastfeeding has taken an irresponsible detour by demonizing formula milk in the hopes of encouraging mothers to exclusively breastfeed when for upward to xv% of the population, information technology is non only impossible, information technology is unsafe. Formula milk has been depicted equally a dangerous form of nutrition for babies, which is absolutely false. The intent is to shame and guilt parents for using information technology. Such characterization of formula as harmful and substandard puts infant lives at chance as mothers with insufficient milk accept and will sometimes unwittingly starved their infants in order to see the socially expected standard of sectional breastfeeding, particularly if they are not informed of the harmful consequences like impaired brain development and inability.

Information technology's very common for hungry babies to exist crying out on the postpartum flooring. Nosotros are supposed to encourage "cluster feeding" (nonstop feeding at the breast) and skin-to-skin contact when they are crying, but if there isn't plenty colostrum, they just keep crying.

FIBF: The Academy Of Breastfeeding Medicine defines cluster feeding as "several short feedings close together."  Yet, mothers are beingness told constant and prolonged feeding around the clock is "cluster feeding" and this is where defoliation that can issue and harm begins. There is a signal when cluster feeding becomes a clear sign of insufficient breast milk and/or insufficient transfer of milk and those signs must exist taken seriously for the wellness and safety of the infant. Mothers tell us they receive conflicting data and as a issue, they go very frustrated, lose confidence and desire to stop breastfeeding. It is important to define what cluster feeding really is every bit health professionals and evaluate and arbitrate when an infant is in danger of bereft feeding complications.

I encourage all of the postpartum nurses to bank check blood carbohydrate (glucose) for excessive crying and unsatisfied breastfeeding, simply for the most role, they don't usually do that. Female parent–babe nurses are terrified to supplement babies for fear of being audited and disciplined. It's so distressing.

FIBF: A check of their glucose, bilirubin, weight and peradventure their electrolytes should exist performed by a nurse, physician or nurse practitioner to assess whether a newborn is being sufficiently fed and whether supplementation is needed to protect your newborn. Research tells us that i in 5 mothers accept delayed onset of full milk production, so we merely cannot ignore the abnormal behavior of a non-cease crying infant, knowing there will exist babies who need to be supplemented.

All babies have continuing orders for exclusive breastfeeding unless a mom demands formula (in which case she must be "reeducated") or the baby has already become sick and symptomatic from insufficient feeding. Fifty-fifty hypoglycemic babies don't always get supplemented; they go glucose gel and spoon-fed a couple of drops of colostrum on the floor, which just causes spikes and drops [in blood sugar levels] until the babies are finally admitted to the NICU for D10 [dextrose] bolus and PIV [IV insertion, which is painful and carries the risk of tissue impairment and infection].

Click here for a video that features Co-Founder Dr. Christie del Castillo-Hegyi narrating a presentation on the effects of underfeeding on the newborn encephalon:

Pacifiers are forbidden in the mother–baby unit, and if parents bring their own, nurses and lactation consultants are to reeducate them of the "so-called dangers."

At that place is no inquiry that shows pacifiers cause nipple confusion or are detrimental to breastfeeding. Pacifiers accept been shown to reduce the risks of SIDS.

This is what I commonly experience at work:
  • When our supplement numbers go upwardly, all nurses become "talked to" at shift alter.
  • Charts are audited each shift past the charge nurse, and so reaudited regularly past lactation.
  • Nosotros are required to fill up out multiple forms with the nurse's name, dr., the reason for formula, and that reeducation was given to the mother if it is non for a specific medical condition every time we initiate formula.
  • Every canteen has to be "signed out" with the patient's name, lot number, expiration appointment, and reason and is tracked, just like we do with narcotics and medications.
  • Sweet ease [sugar water] is locked up and requires a doctor's order.
  • We are also required to dump out anything above the recommended book of 10 ml of formula before giving mom the bottle to make sure she does not requite the infant any extra, even if they are still hungry and crying.
  • Babies just  get supplemented if their weight loss is >ten%, fifty-fifty if they are showing other signs of hunger. Sadly, some health care providers have said to go on exclusively breastfeeding,  despite a weight loss of greater than 10%, because "the scale was probably wrong."
  • Babies are left alone in the room with the mom, even afterwards a surgical nascence or if they are sick, because they don't care about safety, just breastfeeding and skin-to-peel, so they can encounter the insurance reimbursement breastfeeding threshold.

It is very sad that we are required to make babies physically ill before nosotros are allowed to feed them. My communication to all parents is to bring their own fix-to-feed formula and sterile nipples for supplementing, considering your babe is merely a number, and only parents can protect their babies when they are crying in hunger and supplementing is needed!

-Sincerely, M. R-O. BSN, RNC-NIC

Are you lot a wellness intendance provider who has concerns nigh the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative? Nosotros have a lare private support grouping to join. Click hither

Baby-Friendly USA Acknowledges Their Mistakes; Are They Going To Make Existent Changes In The New Year Or Are They Providing Lip Service To Mothers?

Infirmary Drops Infant-Friendly Program After Md'south Infant Was Harmed

What is "Cluster Feeding" and Is It Normal?

I Dropped my Baby in a Baby-Friendly Hospital While I was Alone Recovering from a Cesarean Section

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Speaks Out About The Dangerous And Deadly Practices Of The BFHI

NICU Nurse Discloses Newborn Admission Rates From Breastfeeding Complications in BFHI Unit of measurement

"Is Baby-Friendly Babe Safe?," Fetus & Newborn Briefing 2018

Pediatrician and Other Physician Views on the Infant-Friendly Infirmary Initiative

Nurses Quit Because Of Horrific Experiences Working In Infant-Friendly Hospitals

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