Hi Miriam, It is obvoius that there are communication difficulties between the mum and NICU staff. I always talk to women with specific needs about dealing with professionals as as means of getting as much information as possible and maybe being able to get their point of view across without being confronting. Basically, i always get women and their partners to ask "why" or "is this really necessary?" or to use bran eg ask the staff "what are the benefits, risks, alternatives or the option of doing nothing". This can be in regard to artificial feeding and breastfeeding. Maybe finding some evidence based information about breastfeeding for premmies that you could leave lying around in NICU.
The second problem is trying to be able to establish breastfeeding. Is there a lactation consultant that the woman and her baby could be referred to while in hospital, an LC outside the hospital who is willing to come into the hospital to see them or once at home? Here in Tassie we are fortunate to have Sue Cox who talks about skin to skin contact with mum and baby, or kangaroo cuddles, even if the baby doesn't suck initially, the baby licking the nipple and stimulating the nipple with it's fingers are very important beginings. Babies have a strong sense of smell so leaving a small cloth doll with breastmilk dabbed on to it in the baby's cot can help the baby become familiar with the smell of mum. Even running a drop of breastmilk under the baby's nose can help to achieve this. Plus the opportunity to practice breastfeeding and being supported doing that. Joy's suggestion of supply line at the breast is a really good compromise and it's graduating the baby from the bottle to the breast preferably with as much skin to skin contact as possible. I hope some of this helps Miriam have you considered becoming an LC in the future to support breastfeeding mothers and babies? regards kathy > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Miriam Hannay" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au> > Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 22:04 PM > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Breastfeeding a premmie baby (very long) > > > > Hi all, hope you can help me with advice for a follow > > through woman (i am a commencing 2nd yr Bmid > > student)who had her babe by emerg. LSCS at 35 weeks on > > 22nd December due to PROM + active labour, baby > > footling breech. Babe was 2490 grams at birth but had > > pretty bad RDS and spent a week in NICU requiring > > heaps of oxygen support. All's well now, and mum has > > marvellous milk supply which she would love to give > > her baby, BUT!! > > > > The woman has been expressing 8 times in 24 hours and > > getting 60-100 mLs per session, babe is being gavage > > fed in nursery and is constantly sleepy and not keen > > to go on the breast. When the woman requested no dummy > > and bottle and to be called when her babe woke to > > start establishing demand feeding at breast, staff > > immediately became VERY negative, refusing to speak > > with her, ignoring requests for assistance etc. She > > was told she was 'doing it the hard way' and that if > > she refused to allow her baby to be given EBM by > > bottle she would end up stuck in hospital for weeks. > > She has allowed the baby to be given EBM by bottle and > > does feel that breastfeeding is improving but feels > > uncomfortable with staff and that she's not being > > given the chance to give breastfeeding a good shot. I > > have watched her feed and when alert the baby feeds > > well, the woman's attachment technique is great and > > they are a great unit. I have four of my own, all > > extended breastfed so I feel confident in supporting > > her breastfeeding but am lost with these nursery > > protocols. One midwife told her that nipple confusion > > was 'crap' and that without bottle feeding as > > transition her baby would take much longer > > 'graduating' to the breast. Every core of my being > > screams out that these people are WRONG but i'm not > > sure where the best evidence lies. My Maye's Midwifery > > supports the idea of demand feeding premmies and > > avoiding nipple confusion but the info is a little > > light for my liking. What do you all think? This woman > > has been told to expect her baby to be in hospital > > until she's term but she's desperate to get her home > > ASAP. Any advice would be wonderful, regards, miriam > > > > Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies. > > http://au.movies.yahoo.com > > -- > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
