Hi Everyone,
remember my friend with the baby allergic to all the formulas, who
wanted to relactate? Well, everything is going really well.

E- is now pumping about 2oz per session, and is giving her baby a couple
of bottles of EBM per day. She has been unable to get a good electric
pump as yet (she cannot afford the hire charges) but has managed all
this with a manual pump! (stands back in admiration). Thankfully, a lady
in her church has offered her the loan of her hospital grade Ameda pump
which she believes will really help.

The baby has gained 4oz in 2 weeks (her greatest weight-gain to date),
but the doctors are attributing this to the prescription of Gaviscon, a
drug to help reflux. Although E- thinks the drug is helping her baby not
to sick up the entire feed, she says her baby's general improvement in
appearance, health and allertness cannot attribute to an antacid. She
thinks this improvement could be due to the EBM, but all her doctors are
sceptical in the extreme. She is feeling very patronised by them and no
one but her breastfeeding friends and the breastfeeding counsellor she
has contacted actually seem to have faith in this idea.

To my mind, the most important effect has been in E-'s self-confidence.
She seems so thrilled with her success, she is almost high on it. She
feels that her body *can* work right and now knows it was just lousy
advice that caused her to fail at breastfeeding initially (she bfed for
3 days). Her baby will not nurse, but I think she will continue to try
and persuade her and who knows? Maybe it will work one day? In the
meantime, it is quite nice to be able to tell the doctors how many
*ounces* of EBM the baby is taking.

When we all get so down-hearted with women who give up at the first
hurdle, or who give up after all our help is rejected, it is good to see
someone who is not discouraged even though they get no help, support or
encouragement *at all* from the medical community, haven't been able to
get hold of a breastfeeding counsellor until today, do not have access
to an electric pump of any kind and who's relatives think they are mad.

E- thanks you for all your emails with support and information, and all
your prayers. I am just sitting here, open mouthed with admiration.
--
Anna (mummy to Emma, born 17th Jan 1995 and Alice, born 11th Sept 1996)
Email: [log in to unmask]  Web Page: http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna