Hi all

I was reading a case study today where a mum was told that breastfeeding her
premmie baby would exhaust it. (I have heard stories of many HP's saying
this to mums for one reason or another).
Since gaining some understanding of lactation, breastfeeding and baby's
responses to breastfeeding I have become very skeptical of alot of what I
hear HP's say and often wonder and despear at the falicies perpetuated by
various HP's.  (Please note all you HP's this is not meant as a slam of
HP's.  In the state where I live there are some really wonderful GP's who
are IBCLC's and others who really do support breastfeeding.  I am also a HP
who shudders at what I know now and what I use to say and do in the past.)

In my understanding is that breastfeeding is not that exhausting for a baby.
I have not seen or heard of any research though that demonstrates whether
bottle or breastfeeding burns the most calories, which of the two feeding
methods raises O2 levels and if O2 levels are raises if this actually
substanially reduces the level of exhaustion in a premmie.

I would like to know whether the 'exhaustion factor' is one of those
falacies or not.  Does a baby that falls off in a breastfeed stupor classes
as exhausted (and so it is infered that baby is exhausted)?  Or do premmies
that are able to suckle sleep much longer and so miss important feeds?  Does
anyone know of any research in this area?  What are others feelings about
this?  I do not work with premmie babies and do not expect to in the near
future as the hospital here only delivers full term babies with minimal
risk. Any premmies are sent to a hospital 1.5hrs away.


Yours in Lactation

Ruth Fiedler
Breastfeeding Counsellor

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