Hello Lactnet: Please try to sit through this. I am new at this, trying to
help breastfeeders while I begin the journey to become an IBCLC. This is a
case of a hospital here on the border with Mexico which has done nothing to
promote breastfeeding in the NICU since the 1950s. This mother needs your
advise:
Baby (boy) born 5 days ago, post term, 6 lbs 1oz, by emergency c-sect (after
three times of dropped heart rate, and 26 hr. labor). Baby swallowed
meconium, but apgar was 8.9. Breastfed right away. Hospital moved baby to
intermediate care and is feeding 8 times during the day but mother returns
home at night so is given formula & some expressed milk.
Here is the problem: mother is not allowed to feed baby between 8 a.m. and
1 p.m. because of "doctor's rounds". (Every hospital feed, by the way, is
on a 21/2 to 3 hr. schedule). I don't know why they don't allow it, maybe
because its a teaching hospital. Now the baby has developed pneumonia, they
have him on antibiotics and faces another 7 days in the hospital, (under the
routine mentioned above). Parents are very emotional and disheartened. We
got her a pump that seems to be working well, but she really wants to feed
the baby at her breast as much as possible.
From what I have read, the baby should have as much breastmilk as possible,
especially if he has pneumonia. Right? If the mother wants to keep her
supply up she should be allowed to feed him directly. Right? If the
hospital wants him to get better, too, they should allow mothers to feed on
demand. Right?
Please give me anything in terms of acceptable references, I have looked in
Ruth Lawrence's book and Biancuzzo and some LLL references I have to no avail.
thanks, E-mail me directly please,
Lizabeth Berkeley, MPH, CHES
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