With permission from mom to post.

Working with a mom who is two weeks postpartum.  Recovered addict who had one relapse at 34 weeks gestation.  Baby removed at hospital and is in foster care.  Mom had 36 hour labor and lost a lot of blood.  Had two units packed cells and Hem at discharge was 24.  Mom reports she is very anemic and dehydrated.  She is taking iron and drinking large quantities of water.  She is pumping 20-24 ounces EBM daily.

DHS is requiring her to do random UA's (urinalysis) and although they have all been negative, two or three have come back dilute which they regard as positive.  For this reason, they are not allowing her to give the pumped milk to the foster parent, nor to breastfeed at visits.  She is in treatment currently and feels the urine is dilute because of the large quantities of water she is drinking.

Her question to me is how can she avoid a dilute UA?  She was told to stop drinking so much water but she states she gets dehydrated quickly with all the pumping.  Is this related to her anemia at all?  Is there a way for the lab to lower the threshold, or read the sample in a different way?  Is this something her doctor can intervene on?  She's not intentionally trying to alter the UA's and very much wants to be able to breastfeed and provide milk for this 7#14  angel who has gone through some s/s withdrawal in foster care.

Any resources or anecdotes would be helpful.  

Anne Duret, RN
Maternity Care Coordinator
Lactation Counselor
687-6251 
 
--------------------------------------------------------
 
This message is intended solely for the use of the individual and entity to whom it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable state and federal laws. If you are not the addressee, or are not authorized to receive for the intended addressee, you are hereby notified that you may not use, copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone this message or the information contained herein. If you have received this message in error, immediately advise the sender by reply email and destroy this message. 
--------------------------------------------------------
 

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html