Kathy Dettwyler:
I would like to ask about this sentence in your post to lacnet:

<check baby's heart -- he may be getting plenty of milk for a normal
baby, but not enough for a baby with a heart defect>
If a baby does present with a heart problem let say on the 2nd day
whether it is a Ventral septal or atrial septal defect or any other
heart defect
1.How would one increase the fat & volume of the milk to compensate for
the heart problem if the baby was a premie(36-37weeks) and was nursing
by cue if the color was ok using only mother's milk without the more
unknowledgeable staff getting excited about the slowness of weight gain
& wanting to give abm?
2. Could  giving  abm be a strain on the already abnormal functioning
heart or does it matter.
I am curious as I am looking in retrospect as I was dealing with a baby
about 1 week ago with a heart problem.

Maybe I could have been a better help to the staff & Md in charge. I
used alot of Paula Meirer's(sp) research she did on premies to get the
baby nursing after the delivery, this baby never needed O2,but skin to
skin worked good & bf took place. This was certainly a challlege for me.
The good thing is the efforts of breastfeeding paid off the baby is
nursing at the breast,the md's at the teritiary care center feel the
heart defect will resolve on its own with medication.
Jean
MZ�