Hi Everyone, remember my friend with the baby allergic to all the formulas, who wanted to relactate? Well, everything is going really well. E- is now pumping about 2oz per session, and is giving her baby a couple of bottles of EBM per day. She has been unable to get a good electric pump as yet (she cannot afford the hire charges) but has managed all this with a manual pump! (stands back in admiration). Thankfully, a lady in her church has offered her the loan of her hospital grade Ameda pump which she believes will really help. The baby has gained 4oz in 2 weeks (her greatest weight-gain to date), but the doctors are attributing this to the prescription of Gaviscon, a drug to help reflux. Although E- thinks the drug is helping her baby not to sick up the entire feed, she says her baby's general improvement in appearance, health and allertness cannot attribute to an antacid. She thinks this improvement could be due to the EBM, but all her doctors are sceptical in the extreme. She is feeling very patronised by them and no one but her breastfeeding friends and the breastfeeding counsellor she has contacted actually seem to have faith in this idea. To my mind, the most important effect has been in E-'s self-confidence. She seems so thrilled with her success, she is almost high on it. She feels that her body *can* work right and now knows it was just lousy advice that caused her to fail at breastfeeding initially (she bfed for 3 days). Her baby will not nurse, but I think she will continue to try and persuade her and who knows? Maybe it will work one day? In the meantime, it is quite nice to be able to tell the doctors how many *ounces* of EBM the baby is taking. When we all get so down-hearted with women who give up at the first hurdle, or who give up after all our help is rejected, it is good to see someone who is not discouraged even though they get no help, support or encouragement *at all* from the medical community, haven't been able to get hold of a breastfeeding counsellor until today, do not have access to an electric pump of any kind and who's relatives think they are mad. E- thanks you for all your emails with support and information, and all your prayers. I am just sitting here, open mouthed with admiration. -- Anna (mummy to Emma, born 17th Jan 1995 and Alice, born 11th Sept 1996) Email: [log in to unmask] Web Page: http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna