Hello, ladies.  I have recently subscribed to this list and am eagerly
reading the digests and am enjoying the professional exchange here.  I am a
certified lactation educator, a former LLL Leader, and am almost certified as
a childbirth educator and doula as well. :-)

Anyway, I wanted to jump in and ask about a posting from Ann Slaughter.  I
wrote a paper on breastfeeding the preterm infant for my CLE.  In my research
I was under the impression that weight and gestational age had less to do
with a baby's ability to demonstrate sucking reflex (she mentioned something
about babies being unable to suck until 34-35 weeks gestational age) as did
the baby's personality and the postpartum atmosphere.  I believe I read
somewhere that babies as young as 28 weeks gestational age have demonstrated
sucking reflex sufficient enough for feedings at the breast (especially when
constant kangaroo care was involved).  Perhaps those of you who are wiser and
more experienced than I am could iron this point out for me though as I would
hate to give out bad info in my bf classes.

Also, I know that NICU standards are to establish good feeds at the bottle
first before attempting breast in many cases; but isn't there LOADS of
research out there demonstrating that this is acutally counterproductive?  It
seems I remember reading several studies in my research that showed that
bottlefeeds were much more stressful physiologically on a preemie than
breastfeeds not to mention the fact that it often impedes the success of
breastfeeding.  Any feedback on this as well?

Jessica Harrison Carlyon, CLE
Gentle Birth Comforts
2810 Iroquois Drive
Thompsons Station, TN  37179
(615) 595-9213

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