I just want to add perspective from a mother who has
successfully bf'd a baby with DS.  

I had no trouble at all.  It was EASY PEASY and I knew
nothing about bf'g at the time (except that I wanted
to do it).  Why do I point this out?  Because I think
its very important to approach DS as a spectrum
syndrome.  For example, babies who have severe
hypotonia will probably find it more challenging than
babies who don't (like my daughter).  Mothers who are
h*ll-bent to bf (like me) may not be too daunted at
the prospect.  (On the morning I was discharged I was
trying to get my daughter to latch on and a veteran
nurse came in and said "I don't even know why you're
bothering and walked out --I had no idea what she was
talking about but I just thought, "What an ignorant
old cow.  What does she know?"  But that's what you
think when you're 21 years old and h*ll-bent, que no?)
 :>

I just say this b/c I think its important that medical
staff look at each baby differently (i.e. how's baby's
tone? how's baby's heart? how big is baby's tongue?
how's mom reacting to news?)  Because focusing on all
the problems that may arise might scare the mom into
not trying at all or create a self-fulfilling
prophecy.   

Believe me, the social workers, the nurses, the drs,
my family and all other people who meant well those
first 3 days were far more distressed by my daughter's
disability than I ever was... 

Kind regards,
Georgia 






=====
Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
~ Margaret Mead

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