In a message dated 12/5/00 6:14:26 AM Pacific Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:
<< <<Kate wrote: At this point, this infant was very close to hospitalization
for
dehydration and jaundice. ..too sleepy/too dehydrated to latch? ..What do you
say to this mother? >>
Debbie wrote: Pretty much what you said and did.......In these situations,
when the mom and
baby are coming in for an lactation consult, I ask the mom to bring EBM if
available, or ABM otherwise, because we are going to feed the baby. >>
Oh Kate, I feel for you.
I had a scary situation. Mom called me at about 8 pm on a wknight. Fully
breastfeed, eight day old baby who had been a fussy, reluctant nurser from
the beginning. On day 6, mom and dad went out to dinner with friends,
leaving baby with grandparents, 4 oz of bmilk and an avent bottle (with the
slowest flow nipple). Mom called me to report that (remember it's 8 pm now)
baby hadn't nursed that day at all. One wet diaper. When was the last time
baby had nursed? 'Yesterday at around 11 am' Before that, she was only
nursing every three hours - and that was only if mom woke her. Mom wasnt'
waking her at night and she was sleeping 6-7 hours. Since it was taking
about 2 hours to get baby latched on (prior to the bottle) she was really
only nursing about 4x per day. After the one, slowflow, widebased bottle
nipple, she only nursed 1x in nearly 48 hours. Ugh.
I was *scared*. I told mom that she needed to come over asap and bring her
husband. "he can't come....he's got to work....." I stressed the importance
and they both got here w/in the hour (and they live 45 mins away). I totally
thought we were going straight to the hospital.
Baby was dehydrated, but woke right away and was very alert. Mom's breasts
were *rock* hard and hand expression was impossible. We did the old LLL
trick of placing a warmed (nearly hot) canning jar on the breast, so that the
nipple, areola and some breast tissue are inside the jar. Within a few
minutes, the vacuum from the cooling jar became strong enough to start a let
down.....had 2 ounces of milk in no time flat. Not the ideal technological
solution, but worked in a pinch.
We dropperfed the baby some milk, eventually working her up to being
dropperfed right at the breast, then finally successfully latching her on,
while dripping the milk into her mouth with the corner of the dropper just
inside the corner of her mouth.
She nursed very well for a long time....sucking and swallowing the whole
time. Mom and dad stayed for about three hours, during that time, baby
became very alert and ended up nursing beautifully two more times.
They left at 11 pm with instructions wake baby and feed every two hours,
using expressed milk in a dropper -if needed - to get baby to breast and
nursing well. They called my the next am at 8. Baby nursed every two hours,
they only needed to use the dropper and ebm the first time. They took baby
to see the ped just to check things out. The situation was completely turned
around in 24 hours with no additional pumping, supplementary feedings, etc.
This mom is now a friend of mine.....baby is about 7 mos old an still
exclusively nursing....Yeah!!!!
I stil remember that intial call though...and the sinking feeling in my
stomach. I really thought they were going straight to the hospital.
katherine in atl
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