This story reminded of my experience with my first baby.  Although she
wasn't premature or in the NICU, I had a very poor start and an agonizing
two weeks of pumping and unsuccessful attempts at breastfeeding, after which
I gave up and bottle fed formula.   I was in terribly depressed, similar to
this mother, so I sought help, I gave it another try and completely
relactated starting at 6 weeks postpartum.  Some of you on Lactnet know my
story.  When I read this letter (other than some of the details), it flet
like it was me eleven years ago.

If it would help this mother to get support from someone with a similar
experience with a happy end, she may contact me.

Yael Wyshogrod IBCLC
Rechovot, Israel

----- Original Message -----
From: newman <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2000 3:43 AM
Subject: a mother's story


> Here's an email I received today.  And I wonder why women find
breastfeeding
> difficult?
>
> Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC
>
> "Hi.  I don't know if you can help me or at least give me a definite
answer,
> but here's my story.  I gave birth to my premature daughter 5 weeks ago.
> She was only 4 weeks premature but she only weighed 3lbs. 7oz. I guess due
> to an incompetent placenta.  I had an emergency c-section.  She was placed
> in the NICU where she stayed for the next 12 days.  I didn't start pumping
> until about 12 hours after my c-section.  I wanted to breastfeed right
away,
> but the doctor and nurses didn't want me to, I guess because they were
> afraid for her health?  They gave her formula in a bottle.  Anyway, the
> entire time she was in the nursery, I was pumping.  I was getting very
> frustrated and stressed, not to mention exhausted by having to pump every
> three hours and going to see my daughter, because I wasn't producing much
> milk.  I had tried breastfeeding her twice while she was in the nursery
and
> she latched on well, but I really didn't have much support or
encouragement
> from the nurses, so I didn't push the issue.  I figured that I could
> establish breastfeeding when I got her home.  When she finally did come
> home, I was given strict instructions to feed her so many oz. of formula
> every 3 hours so I was afraid to try to breastfeed, afraid that she would
> spend too much energy trying to get milk out and that I wouldn't know how
> much she had gotten, that I didn't really try breastfeeding.  The few
times
> that I did try, she latched on well, but started crying and getting
> frustrated, I suppose because she wasn't getting the milk like she could
out
> of the bottle.  I kept up pumping for awhile and even took fenugreek, but
my
> milk supply kept dwindling.  I think part of it was that I wasn't pumping
on
> a strict 3 hour schedule, sometimes I would go 4 hours or even longer
before
> being able to pump.  Anyway, I finally gave up pumping and took back the
> rented pump, but now I think that I could've and should've kept trying.
My
> husband really wasn't supportive of my efforts (because he saw how
stressed
> out and exhausted it was making me).  I am feeling so depressed because I
> wanted to breastfeed so badly.  My breasts still leak every once in a
while
> and it makes me wonder if I could try it again?  So I guess my question
is,
> even though I stopped pumping almost 2 weeks ago and my daughter is now 5
> weeks old, is there a way to start up again and be successful?  I also
> wondered if a nursing supplementer would help my milk supply without
> frustrating my daughter?  Any advice or suggestions you could offer would
be
> so appreciated."
>

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