---------- From: Judith Kurokawa[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, January 18, 1996 5:08 PM To: 'Recipients of LACTNET digests' Subject: preemie - bottle vs breast To: JoAnn [log in to unmask] From Jude Kurokawa, CNM (retired LLL leader who's littlest baby is 19 = y/o) I've been a lurker here for a week or so. this subject is very close to = my heart. My (then) 20 y\o daughter had hellp syndrome at 30 wk - = csection- baby Zach (now 2 1/2 yr old and healthy!!) 2#13 oz. Vent = for 3 days then room air. No anomalies. Tube fed for a couple weeks, = then started on bottles, much to my dismay. My daughter was so stressed = out she was content to just pump and to hold him. I talked at length to = the neonatologist who also happens to be the doc I usually ship my = babies to (she is nearest NICU for 350 miles) but she was ademant and I = am only the grandma. They let Kari nurse every once in a while, then topped him off with = expressed EBM by bottle. He never took more than 6 sucks from the = breast (kari counted) in a row. The Drs comment was that a hungry baby = will suck on anything. I still get fired up when I think of it, because = when we brought him home at 3#15 oz, he didn't have a CLUE at what to do = at the breast. He either bobbed and screamed, or instantly fell asleep. = After 2 days I called our state prof. liason for LLLI and she suggested = just cup or finger feeding him for a couple of days, and do full = kangaroo care. In 3 days he was finally nursing and may that wonderful = LLLI Linda Healow get her pearls in Heaven!!!! =20 He nursed for 7 months until some idiot MD in military (Hubby is = stationed in Germany) gave her regular BC pills - dried her up in 2 wks. = Now she is 22 wks preg, and I am sweating bullets as Pre-eclampsia tends = to recurr when first one was early like Kari. So My advice is for this mamma to stick to her guns. Play the broken = record. "I want to nurse my baby" Smile "I want to nurse my baby" = Smile until they give in. Must pay careful attention to weight gain. = May consider cup feeding w/ a medicine cup every other feed so he = doesn't get too tired. In the better African hospitals, babies are = tube fed or cup fed until strong enough to nurse since Nipple confusion = there would be lethal. Get references to these articles from LLLI state = Professional Liason. If don't have, have her call Montana Prof Liason = - she does. See my article on Midwifery today page ( I don't know the letters but = you can look in Yahoo or other net search tool, If you can't find it, = email me for copy. It's called "Finger feeding a preemie") ##################### Help! A LLLLeader in my city has a premie son; born 12/11/95 at 27 1/2 = weeks gestation. He weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces. He is now a pound over = birthweight at 32 weeks old...... He has refused to continue treating the baby unless mom goes along with = HIS plan.....=20 I am trying to help her find a doctor who will listen, but it hasn't = been easy.... The LC doesn't seem concerned about nipple confusion, either. She says = that a baby with a good suck and a willing mom will be able to nurse, = whenever it happens. Optimistic, but realistic? Any thoughts on this? ################ NOT REALISTIC !!! After that remark, I would have difficulty in = believing ANY thing she says. She obviously doesn't read the literature = and/or have much experience!! ################