I would like to ask for your collective input on something I haven't
been exposed to before...We have a baby in our NICU who was born at 37
weeks.  Mother had infarcts in her placenta so the baby was seriously
growth retarded.  Her birth weight was just over 4 lbs. and she has had
blood sugar instability from day 1.  As her IV fluids were being
decreased and she was on mother's milk, her blood sugars kept going down
so they put fortifier in the BRM to boost the calories.  This didn't
work so they TOOK HER ENTIRELY OFF BRM! (Yes, I shouted).  Nice message
to give mother, what? She "did fine" on the premie formula (24 cal./oz.)
and then she gradually had BRM added back into her diet.  Every time
they get to more than 1/2 BRM her blood sugars go down into the 30's
again.  She breastfeeds like a little champ but it has been mandated
that she can only go to breast 3x a day, after which she gets formula,
and the rest of the time she is fed straight formula.  I didn't learn
about it until 2 days ago, after all had been said and done, and the
mother is expressing her need to go with the flow of the planned program
because she is needless to say afraid about the low blood sugars.
Anyone have any feedback?
Edie Armstrong, IBCLC, FAIRFAX, Va.