Resources for breastfeeding moms preemie and full term

[Guest guest]

Hi all!

Since both OBnurses and NICUnurses have been on a slight quiet run, I figured that now is as good a time as any to ask this question.

I know at least *one* of you might have some ideas.

For those of you who may not know me, I work in home care now, after many years in a Level III regional perinatal center. My home care clients are both high and low risk antepartum and postpartum moms, babies and high and low risk children.

I do a large assortment of well mom/well baby visits, and try my best to offer them whatever resources I can find where needed, but this problem is one of my biggest. My agency used to have a lactation consultant on staff who was available for telephone consult and sometimes for home visits to assist moms with breastfeeding issues. I have done a great deal with breastfeeding patients both in hospital and home care, and am pretty good at it, but I will be the first to admit that I am not the expert I could be if I had further training and certification in that area. I can assist most but the very toughest breastfeeders.

Here's the problem: since there is no longer a lactation consultant on my agency's staff, and not all of my clients are eligible for WIC (which has a lactation consultant on staff for their clients), so there are some that I feel helpless in helping as well as I'd like. And because I feel that I am there for support, but not to pressure someone, I often feel that utilizing the LaLeche League is not an option in some cases, because sometimes they can be overpowering to a struggling mom. Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that breastfeeding in most cases is better, but I also feel that if mom is informed of the benefits, etc, and she chooses to bottle feed, that is her right. And if she chooses to breast feed and supplement with a bottle, that is also her choice. I have found that many LaLeche League volunteers can make the mom feel dreadfully guilty, and that isn't what I want for my patients.

So----can anyone give me an suggestions for possible community assistance or support for moms in the home for assistance with breastfeeding? Someone who will be supportive of the mom's right to choose how much and even *if* she chooses to breast feed?

Many times also, for our well mom well baby visits, the insurance only allows me one visit, so offering followup support by me isn't a possibility in many cases, so I am looking for a place I can refer someone to for some help if needed, or continued support.

Any ideas?

--------Jeanine