I have been reading the books available to me and they seem to agree with
what I told the mom, but thought I'd pass along the question:

I received a telephone message that the mom of preemie baby (in NICU)  was
told by the neonatologist that the baby's calcium levels have risen (mom
didn't have the number - plans to get it for me tomorrow).  The
neonatologist asked her what she was drinking and when she mentioned 4
glasses of milk and 4 cups of Mother's Milk Tea, she was told that this was
probably the cause - that her milk was probably too high in Calcium!!!

1. From what I understand, calcium levels don't vary that much according to
diet.
2. Mother's Milk Tea has Fennugreek, Fennel and Blessed Thistle, but I
don't think any of these would cause an elevated calcium level in mother's
own milk or in baby
3. 4 cups of milk - for our culture, which includes milk in our coffee as
well as in our cereal, is not extraordinary - and if baby is not irritated
by it, should mom stop it?

After talking to her, she also admitted that in the PM the doc said the
Calcium levels are going down - so now I'm wondering if this was all a lab
"error"...

I was also thinking of asking the Doc to test the mom's milk to evaluate
the actual calcium content instead of "blaming" it...  Is this feasible?

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC, LLLL
[log in to unmask]
Project Director - Proyecto Lacta - Puerto Rico
http://netdial.caribe.net/~prlacta/
Lactancia Materna '98 - La Mejor Inversion