Laurie asks: "Would you recommend "insurance pumping" in this situation? :
37 wk healthy infant, birthweight 5 lbs 0 oz. Assessed to be breastfeeding
effectively w/ great latch and +++ swallows in hospital. 4 lbs 12.6 oz at
discharge on day 2 which is about 4% loss.
Follow up call reveals milk in, good feeding behaviors, abundant
wets/dirties, no problems identified , infant weighs 4 lbs 15 oz on day 5.
Knowing all the problems and challenges that *can* occur w/ near term
infants, I really don't feel she needs to pump to "insure a good supply. Do
any of you?"
This baby is obviously breastfeeding wonderfully and, no, I wouldn't
recommend insurance pumping. I might weigh her a little bit more often over the next
couple of weeks but all sounds well now and my guess is that it will
continue to be.
That said, very often these small, near term babies lose too much weight and
do not have the stamina to take all feeds by breast. As they lose weight
they become weaker. Early insurance pumping and judicious supplementation
(hopefully with mom's milk ) can prevent this and, of course, protects supply.
Sometimes, though, we see a "little champ" like the baby you describe. My
motto is if it ain't broke don't fix it. We should all keep 37 weeks, less than
6 lb. as a red flag for early breastfeeding difficulties and assess carefully
and frequently for milk transfer, wt gain, stamina level, etc.,but when we
find all is well we can let it be. Sounds like a mom with an ample supply and
a vigorous near term infant.
Kathy Boggs, RN, IBCLC
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