Pat asks:


> .  Did the baby have
> suck/latch problem that led to supplementing with a bottle or did sucking
> on
> a bottle create suck/latch problem?  We so glibbly use this as a reason
> when
> a baby fails to breastfeed.  Are we simply giving mom an out/excuse for why
> it didn't work, because her efforts and our skills aren't good enough to
> help her so let's "blame" the baby/bottle/nurse who gave bottle/hospital
> etc. (Chloe said we need to have someone or something to blame :-)
>
>
1)  The baby was given a bottle with an ounce of formula because at 1/2 hour
after birth, the blood sugar was measured by glucoscan and found to be 41
which is so incredibly close to 40 which is nearly 39 which is abnormal.  And
no, not put to breast because the baby has to have something IMMEDIATELY.

2)  The baby was given a bottle with an ounce of formula because he was
fussy, and so mom, being convinced she didn't have enough for this
excessively large baby (he was 8#2 ounces), topped him off.

3)  The baby was going through "second night" and was given a bottle -- see #
2 above.

4)  The mother wanted to sleep the first night, baby was kept in the nursery
and given a bottle (or two).

5)  The baby was extremely sleepy (see labor meds), and since it was TIME to
feed the baby, and he wouldn't latch on, he was given a bottle because you
can make any newborn take a bottle.

Nothing to do with inability to latch.  Everything to do with hospital
interventions, either out of ignorance on the part of the staff or the mother
or both.  Perhaps due to fear of potential litigation.  Perhaps due to
laziness -- perhaps due to a real belief that there's "only a teaspoon of
colostrum in the breast, and when it's gone, it's gone."

Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC -- Wheaton IL
Lactation Education Consultants
www.lactationeducationconsultants.com

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