I just came back from a meeting that made me realize how important it is for
everyone to be clear on their message.

The group was reporting about a meeting held to discuss the "late pre-term
baby".  However, the message delivered was that: "the mothers of late
pre-term babies have low milk production".

I suggest that in many cases the message needs to be: 
"Babies who are late-pre-term often are not able (for many reasons) to
elicit adequate milk production from their mothers."

We need to be clear of the cause so that we can work on a solution.  If the
nurse "expects" the mother of a late pre-term baby to be unable to have an
adequate milk production, she is not as likely to stress the importance of
complete emptying on a frequent basis, either by keeping baby awake, using
breast compressions, skin to skin, etc. or by hand expressing, pumping, etc.

THEN when mom's milk supply is compromised due to lack of effective milk
REMOVAL - it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy that "mothers of late
pre-term babies have low milk production."

I'm not denying that SOME mothers of late pre-term babies have other issues
that can cause low milk production - but our message needs to be clear: in
order to get a good milk supply going when baby is small, sleepy, an
ineffective nurser (whether late pre-term or any other reason) - our
responsibility lies in helping mom build up the milk supply to the best of
her ability...so that when her baby CAN nurse effectively and well, she is
able to meet baby's needs.

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC
(Who knows she's preaching to the choir - but thinking of this as another
way to making sure we "Wiesingerize" our messages.)

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