On Sun, 15 Sep 1996 14:48:47 -0500, Barbara Wilson-Clay wrote:
>            . . .  I think it is important to remember that sucking
>is very impt. for babies.  It helps them organize state behavior, and in the
>work of Bernbaum, Anderson and others from the early 80's, we see that
>preemies allowed to suck on pacifiers progressed more quickly to oral feeds,
>had better weight gain, and were discharged earlier.

I just returned from visiting my MD FIL, where we viewed Dr. Palmer's tape
from ILCA 1996.  As an inexperienced student, I don't know what to do for
preemies who aren't going to be nursed, but in view of the lifelong damage
(oral cavity malformation and oral motor dysfunction with resulting caries,
malocclusion, bone loss and eventual tooth loss, sleep apnea, otitis media,
etc.) due to bottle feeding and pacifier use, there has to be a better way.
I know the right way is to BF, but if the mom refuses, isn't there any way
we can avoid some of the damage to the poor kid?

Of course, we can avoid the problem if we can influence the moms to BF.
Everyone tells me it's insensitive to tell moms things that will make them
feel guilty about their choice to SIN feed, but how can they make an informed
choice without knowing the dangers they're putting their babies in?  Besides
the problems above, we should tell them about the atopic disease, diabetes,
SIDS, infection rates, health care cost differential and IQ deficit that result
from SIN feeding and artificial feeding methods.  I can't imagine how anyone
who knew these things before she had to make the choice could choose
anything but breastfeeding!  Prenatal education, where are you?  I can't
believe I'm saying this (I guess I'm not the libertarian I thought I was.), but
it's a shame you don't need a license to have a baby!  The more I think about
mothers hurting their babies for lack of readily available knowledge, the more
I think we need a better way to get the WORD out!  I'm sorry for preaching
to the choir, but WE are "it".  If we don't reach the moms before they commit
themselves to artificial feeding, who will?

Off my soap box

Jonathan
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*           L. Jonathan Kramer, P.E.           *
*    Graduate Breastfeeding Counselor and      *
*        Student Lactation Consultant          *
*      Certified Medela Nursing Bra Fitter     *
* Only G-d knows the formula for mother's milk *
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