NRS 434 Topic 1 Dq 2

NRS 434 Topic 1 Dq 2

You are the registered nurse performing a health assessment on a newborn infant. From the functional health pattern portion of the assessment, you learn the mother is reluctant to breastfeed her baby. How do you respond? Explain the approach you will take to ensure adequate nutrition for the newborn, with or without breastfeeding. Provide rationale for your answer.

You are the registered nurse performing a health assessment on a newborn infant. From the functional health pattern portion of the assessment, you learn the mother is reluctant to breastfeed her baby. How do you respond? Explain the approach you will take to ensure adequate nutrition for the newborn, with or without breastfeeding. Provide rationale for your answer.

I would respectfully approach the mother and start a converstion about the infant, once I have established a rapport I would inquire as to the reasons that she is not breastfeeding. I would specifically ask her opinion an breastfeeding. Perhaps she might hsve been misinformed about breastfeeding, possibly she works in an environment where it makes it difficult for her to breast feed. I would refer her to a Lactation Cunsultant, but in the mean time I would inform her that it is her right to breastfeed or not to breastfeed her child. I would also educate her on the proper nutritional requirements for a newborn. My teaching would include :

• Breast milk is digested quicker than formula therefore the newborn must be feed 8-12 times a day or every 2-3 hours.
• If formula was selected the newborn must be fed 6-8 times a day or very 2-4 hours. Recommended amount is 2-3 ounces at every feeding witha total of 16-24oz./day
• Feed the baby when he/she seems hungry: s/s include smacking lips, suckling movements and rooting
• Do not wait until the baby cries to feed him/her
• Baby should not sleep more than 4 hours at night without feeding

Teaching would also include that nutrition is adequate when the baby is steadily gaining weight, milk leaking while nursing and when the baby has several wet diapers during a 24hr period.

I would also re-enforce the benefits of breastfeeding, and that it also allows for time that is exclusive for mother and child. Lastly, I would inform her that there are rights that protect the breastfeeding mother by allowing her to breastfeed in public and that her breastfeeding rights are alsoprotected at work.