In a message dated 01/13/2004 7:05:08 AM EST, [log in to unmask]
writes:
<< I had even left this Ped a long note about how this baby wasn't
transferring well at the best which would mean poor growth, constant feedings, a Mom
who already had to pump and rest her nipples after two days, etc. I have had
some parents totally go along with their Ped and of course Mom ends up not
nursing due to the pain. I had one Dad who was very concerned about it and
didn't want to go along with it.....but yet the baby had been circumcised!! >>
I will also add that recently I saw a mom/baby dyad in which the baby had a
moderately short frenulum. Baby could latch, slightly shallowly, tongue just to
bottom gums, milk transfer was fine, but mom was in agony with every latch
with obvious but not horrible nipple compression, no skin breakdown. After
let-down pain was much less. I wrote a note to the MD "wondering" if, even in the
presence of 'fair, but not stellar" weight gain, persistent pain would
justify a referral to { local ENT} or professional MD might know. Since weight gain
was good, Ped said frenulum would stretch and to hang in there. Mom was torn
as to what to do. Two phone follow-ups later, a span of a week later, mom
had moved from "hanging in there with the early latch on pain ( which was
slightly better and more tolerable with asym latch and maximizing tongue-breast
contact) to "we had a miracle". Mom was ecstatic that after six days of asym latch
and nursing practice, the baby had latched and she was completely pain-free.
She said that now she understands why her friends said nursing didn't hurt and
how they enjoyed it. Did she get better at asym latch, did her baby, did
walking around in colic hold help the baby get the tongue as forward and relaxed
as possible, did the frenulum actually stretch a teeny bit, and as baby got a
teeny bit bigger mouth) did too ( after two growth spurts)? Mom also said she
noticed that baby was also actually playing more with her tongue, that she
could see it more now, and more often.
This baby's frenulum was not seriously short, milk transfer was fine, but mom
was in pain. She might have gone to the ENT anyway if another week or so had
passed and she was still in pain. At the initial visit, and phone call a day
later, I told her it's great that her baby was able to get enought to eat and
was happy, but I don't minimize a mother's pain. I didn't push her to get the
ENT consult, but there were a few days when I wondered whether I should. Now I
am still wondering, and feeling happy for her that things worked out as they
have. She was grateful for "the support". Her pediatrician's advice worked out
( not always the case) though I couldn't say exactly why...:)
Just thought it would add to our discussion of this topic,
Judy LeVan Fram, PT, IBCLC, Brooklyn, USA
***********************************************
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
|
