|
Preemie Books
Living Miracles: Stories of Hope from Parents of Premature Babies
by Kimberly Powell &
Kim Wilson
Life on the Reflux Roller Coaster
by Roni Maclean
The
Pregnancy Bed Rest Book by Amy E Tracy, Richard H Schwarz
The
Preemie Parents Companion: The Essential Guide to Caring for Your Premature Baby
in the Hospital, at Home, and Through the First Years by Susan L Madden M.S,
William Sears MD, Jane E Stewart MD
| |
***Because
preemies have very specific issues, I have not addressed their special needs in
this context. There is information available from La Leche League International
on the special situation of breastfeeding a preemie.
Breastfeeding the Hospitalized Baby:
The Chain of Command
It is helpful to understand exactly who
is in charge and what the role is of each person involved in your child's care
during a hospitalization. Each person has their own duties and responsibilities
and different people will sometimes give conflicting answers to the same
question.
- Nurses-The
nurses are your child's constant companions. They can answer a lot of little
questions. They can not authorize policy or medication changes. They can not
officially inform you of options the doctors have not already offered. If
you take the time to be friendly with the nurses, they sometimes drop
helpful comments about your rights and options in a given situation. They're
also pretty good at letting you know when they're on your side in a dispute.
Keep in mind at all times, though, that their jobs depend on following
doctor's orders and hospital policies. Any concerns about a particular nurse
should be brought to the attention of the charge nurse on duty.
- Residents-These
are the "student" doctors. They are M.D.'s who are gaining
experience before going on to independent practice. They rotate through
different parts of the hospital on a monthly basis. They are the ones who
will make initial assessments, write orders and be the first called for any
problems. They are under the direct supervision of "senior"
residents, fellows and, finally, attending physicians. They can not make any
policy changes or (often) even medication changes without consulting a
senior resident or fellow.
- Fellows-Fellows
have finished their residency and are now spending additional years learning
about the specialty they wish to practice. While there are some fellows in
general pediatrics, you will be more likely to have extensive contact with
them in the subspecialties: i.e. pediatric cardiology, pediatric neurology,
etc. They have a little more leeway than residents do, but they rarely take
action on anything but the most minor of problems without consulting an
attending.
- Attending physician-This
is the top doctor in any non-surgical setting. Each specialty has its own
attending on call at all times. Doctors are very careful not to invade on
another's territory once additional specialists are called in to consult on
a particular problem. Whether you are dealing with a concern, a policy or a
course of treatment, you must go to the proper person to have it resolved:
i.e. the pediatric cardiologist will not change an order by the pediatric
neurologist. The nurses can help you out if you're confused about who's who.
- Surgeons-They
have complete control over anything that involves surgery, post-operative
recovery or complications related to surgery. They tend to have a poor
bedside manner and they are not used to being questioned. By being
respectful of their skills and experience and being prepared to defend your
requests, you can usually reason with them. They are very precise people, so
try to be clear and stick to the point.
- Chaplains-If
all else fails, the chaplain's office holds surprisingly strong influence.
These are the compassionate people. Their personal faith can vary widely, but
they all have the utmost respect for faiths other than their own. My
favorite Bible verse in support of breastfeeding is Lamentations 4:3,4. It
is my understanding that the Koran also holds breastfeeding to be a sacred
duty. While religious reasons for your requests are not required, they
usually add a little more weight to your concerns. (Breastfeeding Bible
Study)
- Administration-Each
department has its own "Head". There is one for each specialty,
one for the pediatrics division and ultimately, one for the entire hospital.
You have the right to contact any of these people with your problem. Be
aware, however, that if you skip any of the other layers of responsible
people in the chain of command, you may find yourself being referred back to
that level before receiving any help from higher up.
You are always the ultimate
decision-maker. Sometimes it doesn't seem that what the parents think really
matters at all in a hospital setting, but that is far from the truth. You have
the final say in all treatments and you have a right to have each and every one
of your questions answered to your satisfaction before making any decisions. It
is you, the parent, who will have to live for the rest of your life with the
consequences of choices that are made. The doctor and the nurses get to go home
at the end of the day and put "work" behind them. So always proceed
with the utmost respect for the power that you hold in your hands as the
protector of your child.
Copyright
© 1998 Cyndi Egbert. All rights reserved. Please e-mail all reprint
requests to Cyndi at: CyndiMom23@aol.com.
Breastfeeding the Hospitalized Baby-Main Text
Appendix A:
Glossary of Useful Terms
Appendix C: Where to Find Help
Quick Checklist: At-a-Glance Reference
| |
Site Directory
Living Miracles
Early Blessings
Preemie Birth Stories
Mom's Corner
Dad's Den
Medical Causes of Prematurity
Infant Medical Complications.
Problems & Special Needs
Breastfeeding
Support Groups
Interaction
Memorials
Charities
Mall
|
