I had a mom call today who had a baby discharged on HMF.  She never followed
up to have us help her with latching this difficult feeder onto the breast.
He is 2 months old now.  And still she is using HMF.  The Ped. said, if it
isn't broke, don't fix it.  So she keeps getting the HMF through our WIC
program.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends HMF for 9 months, for infants
born at 32 weeks or less.  In our unit a 33 weeker wouldn't be discharged
with HMF unless necessarry for growth.  I sounds like that is the case
here.

I am surprised that your NICU is feeding every four hours.  Every unit I
have worked in has used three hours.  We recommend ad lib feedings for at
least a week prior to discharge, with no more than three between feedings.

Constance E. Hymas,
RNC, MN, NNP, CLE



Does she really have to still be using it?  The baby was 33 weeks and wasn't
growing without it.  Of course I wonder if they had the baby on a q 4 hour
feeding schedule like they seem to do so much in our NICU.  I keep
preaching they
won't grow on 6 feeds a day!  Of course mom is tired of the pumping.  I
encouraged her to go to our night BF support group tonight to see if the LC
running
it can possibly use a nipple shield and get this bottle conditioned baby on
the breast.  You never know unless you try!  I did it once with a 3 month
old.
Felt like a miracle at the time and the mom stopped by last week to see me 3
years later!  He nursed for 17 months and she was a poor, sweet, young, WIC
mom.  She was so grateful for all of my help.  And I will never forget
her.  So
I never say never anymore.

Pam Hendrix, RN, IBCLC
S. Florida Hospital Based

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