I think it is difficult to know whether any new mom can, in reality, follow
a regimen like this. I have had similar responses of agreement to pump and
BF for milk supply issues, but when mom goes home and I follow up a few days
later, she is either exhausted, frustrated, has stopped or drastically
reduced pumping, or is supplementing with formula. When moms are
overwhelmed days 1-3 at the words "feed the baby 8-12 times in 24 hours" or
whenever the baby shows hunger cues, you can be pretty sure that they can't
mentally handle one more task, if pumping becomes a suggested treatment for
whatever reason. I often wonder what they expected while expecting, because
many are so surprised that babies need to eat--yes, even at night! I praise
highly all pumping efforts and acknowledge the added work, stressing that
this is a temporary situation, a bridge, until the baby/milk is where
he/she/it needs to be. With support and encouragement as well as progress,
many do follow suggestions. However, I would advocate nurse, nurse, nurse
as a first choice. Sometimes, they have very sore nipples from poor latch,
so that doesn't work because they are reluctant to put baby to breast
already, and it does take some time to practice and improve the latch.
Then, pumping seems to help and they feel relieved that they can still feed
the baby, stop the pain, and look forward to BF again soon. Each case is
different, but pumping and BF together means double duty, and only the most
determined will persist. Even nurse, nurse, nurse is rejected by moms
because of claims that they really can't manage that due to so many other
demands or their own physical discomfort, sleep deprivation. I find that
moms expect babies to be a lot more convenient, and are truly surprised that
moms have to adjust to babies, not vice versa. Then there are the other
moms who will do anything for their babies--you just have to find out what
the mom's reality is, and meet her there.
Patricia Ellis
Central New Jersey HBLC and private practice
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donna Hansen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 5:30 PM
Subject: alternate feeding
> Katherine in atl wrote:
> <<It makes me wonder if this is really the solution it seems to be
> (pumping following feeds, then feeding pumped milk)....keeping in mind
> that without exception, these mom's all told the LC's that this sounded
> like a good plan of action and were willing to follow it. Certainly
> it's appropriate at times, but it's starting to seem to me like this
> route is also overused, when it would be possible (in *some* cases) to
> simply have mom nurse...then nurse again (instead of giving the
> supplement after nursing).>>
>
> This is a common protocol around here as well when there are concerns
> about a mum's supply or if baby is not nursing too well at the breast
> for whatever reason. Nurse about 20 minutes, pump about 20 minutes,
> supplement baby with pumped milk. This is a scenario I have a lot of
> trouble counselling mums with, lacking experience dealing with it. What
> scenarios would this be appropriate for and when would the nurse, nurse,
> and nurse more fit in? What if the mum nurses for 20 or 30 minutes and
> baby is getting frustrated at the breast? At what point can you quit
> supplementing and just go for having the baby at the breast? I've heard
> and read that the whole nurse, pump, supplement scenario should take
> about an hour or the mum can get overwhelmed with constantly feeding a
> baby who ca't seem to get enough at the breast just yet.
>
> Donna Hansen
> Burnaby, British Columbia
> Canada
>
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