Bookmark

Midwives magazine: Issue 1 :: 2011

Author: Lois DW Arnold
Publisher: Jones & Bartlett
ISBN: 9780763761332


Review by Ali White 

I would defy anyone not to feel motivated into action after reading the opening chapter of this immensely informative and readable textbook, which reveals a detailed and quite moving account, of the lack of breastfeeding support experienced by Bonnie and her pre-term baby in an NICU in the US.
 
A sad catalogue of misinformation, disrespect and all round ambivalence to the provision of breastmilk to pre-term and sick babies, the author then sets out to discuss the evidence and rationale, as well as providing the policy tools, to remove the many barriers to the provision of human milk in NICUs. The book is set out in five parts, which includes a ten-step framework to guide NICU best practice, the rationale and history of milk banking in the US, and the ethics of human milk usage in the NICU.

The overriding message throughout the book is that, no matter what the barriers may be within the NICU, it should be every baby’s human right to receive human milk. The highlight for policy-makers is that each step within the ten-step framework of best practice has its own sample policy. For those not too keen on dense prose, there are plenty of sub-headings, tables and boxes that illustrate by way of case scenario or current controversy. Although the discussions of the evidence are topical and thorough, the strength of the arguments is weakened because just one author presents them. I would have preferred to see the evidence discussed by several different authors and to see more primary research cited from within the last ten years.

Nonetheless, I found it to be an inspiring read and am now eager to make use of the sample policies to help achieve the fundamental principle that should underpin the care of all sick or pre-term babies – the provision of human milk.