>> I just received an inquiry from a mother who has a 1.5 lb. premie in the
>> NICU of a nearby hospital.  She informed me that the LC there told her to
>> pump her milk to save for the baby, etc.  However, she told the mother
>> that when the EDC comes around, her milk supply will go down again, and
>> will need to be built back up.  I have never heard that before, and
>> thought that with the delivery of the infant, the hormones peak no matter
>> if you are around your due date or premature.  Please correct my ignorance
>> here if I am missing something!  I'd like to call this mom back with good
>> information before the weekend.  Thanks!!
>>
>> Linda J. Tandy, MSN, RN, IBCLC
>> Cedar Rapids, Iowa


I am not a doctor (as they say on the TV ads when someone in a white coat
is trying to sell something medicinal) or a physiologist, but I do have a
certain scepticism about this idea.

The hormones for lactation are set in place by the delivery of the
placenta, which event 'releases' the brake that has been put on prolactin.

How on earth would the body 'know' it was the due date? How can hormones
read the calendar in that way? Due dates are fairly arbitrary anyway.

But if anyone knows different, I will be interested.

What can happen of course with  prem babies is they perk up quite a lot
round about the time they are 'term' and start asking for more milk - this
can freak some mothers out, who have got used to a sleepy little thing who
has to be woken up and cajoled to feed. They then start to think they have
less milk simply because the baby is more demanding than before.

Is that where that idea has started?

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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