I apologize for my long winded post yesterday (got carried away with "where I've come from and where I am today .. and still learning). 

However, I am reading the responses to the foremilk / hindmilk link and get the feeling that people think this is really not a problem and that babies and mothers figure things out by themselves. I'm sure many do but that is not what I see.

I am not looking for women so I can control what they are doing.  They ask for help  because their babies are in a lot of pain, throwing up, green stools etc, and they are exhausted (some of them are ready to stop bf or are afraid they will hurt their babies).  The mothers rarely come because they think they have a big milk supply (although some of them still have painful sore breasts after 4 or 5 weeks) - they come because of their babies.  The babies I see, only want the milk that pours into them and want the 2nd side (after 5 - 10 minutes of gulping) because they want the fast flow and refuse to stay at the breast and work for letdowns - hence they get only watery milk and are hungry again in a short period - day and night. When they are miserable with pain they want to suckle because it feels good but get more milk, (from the still heavy breasts) and throw - up. Some women's sofa's and carpets are ruined. 

 Many of the women, I see, have already been to see pediatricians who ordered reflux medication or cut things out of their diets - they are beside themselves. What I suggest, does work so I thought to share my thoughts on lactnet.

 Is anyone else experiencing what I described? How many of you are seeing mothers who are exclusively breastfeeding, on demand and with no pacifiers?  Likely none - I am sure there are women out there who are managing with big supplies but I also know women give - up, (I meet these women at classes I teach, social events, yoga etc.) because they did not know there was a solution for their issue.

I can't believe any LC would send a mother, on her way, and tell her to just follow her baby's cues, (when that is what she has been doing). Maybe in the beginning she was the one that switched the baby instead of following his cues but ... I didn't know her then.

 If this is considered controlling to help these mothers in need, is it also controlling to give the mother a plan to build her supply when it is low or should we just leave it up to the mom and baby to figure it out?

Years ago, a very well known and revered breastfeeding counselor and author, (from out of Canada) spent a day with me in an outpatient clinic.  She was very experienced with getting breastfeeding off to a good start but had never worked in the community and never seen babies failing to thrive.  She chided me for suggesting some of the mothers needed to supplement with formula while we worked to build up their supplies.  She kept telling these mothers, (some of the babies were 3 or 4 weeks old and well below their birth weight) to just breastfeed and then everything would be OK.   If I had followed her advice ... I hate to think what would have happened.  

Renee (in Vancouver, Canada)




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