Hi Netters,

As usual, Paula gave a wonderful presentation last week here in Chicago on
the premie baby and BF and the following day did another lecture at our MILC
meeting on the lactoengineering techniques of breastmilk.  For those not
familiar as to where and what Paula is doing now, she is the NICU Lactation
Program Director, Associate Director for Clinical Research Section of
Neonatology at Rush Presbyterian Hospital and Professor of Maternal Child
Nursing at Rush College of Nursing.  She has done wonderful work at Rush
(along with the nurses and BF moms).  They encourage all moms to BF by
educating each one to the benefits of breastmilk and BF.  They get the moms
pumping as soon as possible and encourage pumping 8-12X/24hrs.  Yes, that is
what they do and believe it or not, their moms maintain their milk supplies
by doing so.  They then label all the pump milk with colored dots- white is
colostrum, yellow is hindmilk, green is fresh milk,  and blue is frozen
millk.  It is ordered for feedings according to each individual baby's need.
 They have a Mother's Milk Club which meets weekly for all the BF mothers.
 They have topics they discuss with Paula.  All of them encourage each other
and the "older" BF mother's help the "newer" BF moms.  It reminds me of Peer
Counselors.  They also have a Milk Club that consists of staff nurses that
also meets once a week.  They discuss all various issues at hand.  If babies
are not gaining sufficient weight, they use mom's hindmilk.  They do
crimatocrits and stay away from milk fortifiers.  She has put together a
chart of creamatocrits and the equivilent calories.  All of this stuff should
be published at some time.  I told her I hope REAL soon.  All the time, Paula
and staff educate mom and dads about all the happenings.  Also, everyone does
kangaroo care.  She has put together policies and procedures that include:
 Initial Feeding with Colostrum,   Enteral Feedings, Week One,   and  Enteral
Feedings, Week Two.  Again she plans to publish all.  Then they had a panal
of many BF mom's from the program at the presentation.  It was wonderful. I
was very impressed.  If only we can carry this over to the other US
hospitals.  Take care all.

Pat Bull, RN, IBCLC
The Breastfeeding Connection/Medela
Naperville, IL