An interesting case I'd like to share as a thank you to all of you generous
souls.......Mrs.S is a first time mom to a baby boy--she had contacted me 6
weeks prior to her son's birth to line up a breastpump for she was planning
to continue to work,do an internship in sociology and attend grad. school.
 Mom delivers vaginally,failed vacuum extractor so she"had to push him out
herself" without a 4th or 3rd degree! I congratulated her on her
efforts.The first time I hear from her post birth, baby is 7 days old and
coming home from a readmission for dehydration and jaundice which she
didn't mention until AFTER we got baby latched on for the first time since
rehospitalization....(Babe had received all feeds in hospital via bottle
for assured intake of course)Thankfully mom had been advised to pump but
only with single set-up....Using skin to skin and after refusal in several
positions(only a few were comfortable for mom due to very sore bottom) and
then the SNS,babe stayed on and suckled well for 15 minutes on one
side....This same day that babe returned home from hospitalization mom was
running fever and diagnosed with a "severe UTI" and placed on
antibiotics.The rest is history--later that week mom did the rebirth in the
bath with babe due to some fussiness....and babe continued to gain and
latch without SNS over a weeks time.By 4 weeks old baby was running low
grade temp. and fussy and went to Md to find a bilateral ear infection.Dad
had full blown pneumonia by this time(Came down with the flu first day mom
was in labor)--dad was refusing to go to MD and to this day has not,and in
course of time has lost 20 pounds.)One week on antibiotics,little boy has a
diaper rash but mom didn't call me until her areoli are flaking,peeling and
bleeding,and burning.....got everybody to Md for thrush and now that's gone
but we're cautiously watching since it's been one week of p.o. nystatin for
babe who does Not have s/s orally,just the diaper rash,and creams for mom
and babe's diaper areas.  The ear infections and thrush occurred when mom
had to return to school 3 weeks postpartum.
Mom has a copious supply of milk,but not an overactive let-down.I think a
good milk supply and motivation plus a supportive family and knowledgeable
lactation resource helped this family cope with the spiral effect of bad
luck and medicalized birth/neonatal care.Baby gained 8 oz this week.Mom is
proud.Now if she can keep her supply up through all of the triple breeder
feeder activities....Let's pray and maybe she'll decide she can slow down.
I keep thinking about "what else can go wrong".
        Shalom in Indy,
 Denise Ferrell,RN,IBCLC