Everyone please think good vibes this AM. I am on my way to do a consult with
a BFing mom in an outlying area-very rural with an older Ped who is not very
well educated in lactation management ( is that PC enough?). The baby was
supplemented at the hospital due to a C sec ( according to mom they were
concerned with mom being out of it due to pain meds) and now the baby is
fighting Bfing at 4 days old.  Baby had 5 Bm's yesterday but only 1 wet diaper
according to Mom.  Had ABM in bottles after every unsuccessful attempt. I had
Mom pump before each feeding last night, and use an eyedropper with EBM at the
breast. She tried this and would give 2-4 droppers full of EBM before giving
in with the bottle.  We have to do the consult at the Ped because this Mom
lives 80-90 miles away and the Ped is halfway between us. I know this Ped will
give his standard advice of "you've given it a good shot but some moms just
can't..." or else he will give the one about " we have to be sure this baby is
getting enough milk ...". Wish me luck that the baby will decide he wants Mom,
and patience with the others!
After this I have two more consults-one with  6 week old twins who have been
given EBM and ABM in bottles since birth so the MD's could monitor intake (
Mom is a MD). She is now ready to BF.  The other is a Mom who has exclusively
BF for 6 weeks with cracked and bleeding nipples the entire time.
Why do all the challenging cases come at the same time? And why on Sat? And
why on a beautiful, warm, suuny Sat with the beach calling my name?
Barbara Whitehead, IBCLC
Eastern NC