Christine writes:
>36 year old primagravida delivered  a 5lb and 10? oz baby at 36 weeks.

Smallish baby, may need lots of time and patientce to learn to suck
effectively. What was the birth like? Interventions?

> After
>delivery the baby had a good suck and initially gained weight.

Who assessed the suck?

>Unfortunately two  complications developed.  First baby's weight gain began
>to  falter.

By how much? Babies don't have to gain equal amounts all the time...

> She was nursing the baby 8 times a day for 40 minutes (20 on
>each side).

May not have been enough or the right pattern for this baby  - all babies
need skin-to-skin and feeding ad lib. Was she also trying to time feeds and
equalise demand on both sides? Why?  Doesn't matter how long the baby was
on the breats for if the positioning andattachment and/or sucking are
ineffective.

>Due to the poor  weight gain, she was advised to  limit her
>nursing to 10 minutes each side and then supplement with formula.

Very poor, unhelpful advice likely to make the situation worse. Tons of
things to try before that.

> After a week baby was
>still not gaining, etc., so she returned to nursing and supplementation
>finally giving up at 8 weeks.

Yes, this is exactly what one would expect after this history.


Sorry, can't comment on the pain thing, except it's possible this inhibited
let-down. I think it's more likely that the main and crucial factor in this
is ineffective feeding at the start.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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