Phyllis writes:

Maybe  this is one side effect of being a pump-dependant society?
~~~ I think you're onto something here. The practical reality is that when  
moms pump for separations that are often long and repetitive, they do not,  
cannot, pump how a baby would usually nurse. Most moms back at work need to 
know  how little they can pump, how long an interval can they get away 
with, and not  lose their supply. When home their baby might go to breast many 
more times than  they would be able to "get away with" pumping and still keep 
a supply. So, a mom  of a 2 month old pumps every 3 hours, while later goes 
to every 4 for example.  (That same baby at home might, if allowed,  still 
be nursing every  1.5-3 hours, with short times at breast for any number of 
healthy reasons other  than to move 4 ounces of milk...) This pattern may 
keep supply  from dwindling down, may get mom enough milk to put in baby's 
bottles,  but the composition of the milk might be different. If research shows 
 that volume taken in by the baby is the determining factor in weight  
gain, then most babies would be fine when nursing, they would nurse  differently 
on different moms with different letdown timing, or different  storage 
capacity-meets-baby's digestive comfort. It is possible that taking the  mother 
and baby unit apart and placing a pump, a machine between them, that  the 
subtleties of needed response, the particular way a mother and baby fit  
together, are interrupted. Some babies can work around this mismatch  and perhaps 
for others, it starts falling apart somehow...? Just  musing.
 
Peace,
Judy 



Judy LeVan  Fram, PT, IBCLC, LLLL
Brooklyn, NY,  USA
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