Hi Barbara,
I don't know anything about the drug the mum is taking so I can't comment on
the safety or otherwise of breastfeeding while using this but I would like
to comment on attempting breastfeeding with this child.
We all know that any child will be better off if receiving breastmilk and so
from that angle breastfeeding may reduce or eliminate the need for this mum
to use donor milk. However, there are some very important benefits that this
child may experience from actually feeding at the breast. The early history
of this child's life: institutionalisation, hospitalisation, pain etc may
mean that she would be vulnerable to developing attachment disorder and not
being able to form healthy relationships. The sort of interaction that is
necessary for
successful adoptive breastfeeding and to maximise milk production would also
promote attachment. The factors that appear to be necessary for this are -
cosleeping, close, constant, close physical contact between mother and child
and responsiveness to the child, using the breast for comfort as well as to
impart food ie as a dummy or pacifier. Obviously use of a sling, baby
carrier etc can be a part of the close physical contact bit. You email
doesn't say whether the failure to thrive has any identified organic cause.
I would be very concerned if there was not any organic cause that this child
is just shutting down because of all the trauma she has recieved in her
short life. This bub needs her mum to be close to her and to learn to trust
her. There is actually a technique used for older adopted children with
attachment difficulties called reparenting and one of the versions suggests
that kids as old as 10 be allowed to be the baby again and get a bottle from
their mum every day. It's all about learning the cycle or distress, call
out, need met by mum that babies learn early on (if their families aren't
Ezzoised) and that instutionalised kids miss out on.
This paragraph is from an email I sent to another list on the topic of
breastfeeding and attachment.
"My hypothesis is that the level of interaction, understanding of the mother
of her child's needs and closeness required for adoptive breastfeeding to be
successful will maximise the potential for attachment from both mum to child
but also importantly from child to mum. I think that adoptive breastfeeding
heightens the mums ability to read or hear her child's needs and provides
for a lot of opportunity for attachment to be promoted (eg to maximise milk
production mum and babe need to be in close pretty much maximal contact so
co sleeping, lots of skin to skin contact etc is the go). "
The below site contains a story of a mum who taught her traumatised older
daughter to breastfeed.. I highly recommend it.
http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBSepOct93.adopt.html
There is also some really useful information at
http://www.fourfriends.com/abrw/
There are a number of email lists and BBs for women breastfeeding adopted
babies on the web.
I feel like this email has been a bit disjointed but I wanted to reply and
I'm rushed for time. I hope it helps.
Karleen Gribble
Australia
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/ \
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o
> From: Barbara Shocker <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Induced lactation for malnourished child
>
> I received this request for information and assistance. I have permission
=
> to post this to obtain your thoughts and suggestions.
>
> I am an adoptive mom to a Vietnamese baby (home since January 14, 2001)
> who spent much of last week in the intermediate care unit at Hershey.
> One of her diagnoses is "failure to thrive". Upon the advice of several
> friends, I am seeking information regarding breastfeeding.
>
> I thought about nursing last summer before Anna came home but was unable
> to wean myself off Diovan HCT (160 mg). In doing some research, I
> learned that HCT is passed through breastmilk. I am seeking your advise
> on whether it is advisable for me to try to induce lactation.
>
> I have two bio children who are now 24 and 25 and who were breastfed. I
> am also 48 (if age makes a difference).
>
> I would also be open to receiving donor milk for Anna if there is a mom
> in the area who is producing more than her baby requires. Anna is
> presently on Similac w/iron to which we add Microlipids to give her 750
> cc of formula daily. This provides 31.5 calories per ounce. I do know
> that breastmilk would be optimal for her, though.
>
> She will be a year old March 27th and weighs a mere 10 lbs. 13 oz. She
> was hospitalized for nearly three months in Vietnam for pneumonia and
> recovery from surgery to repair a diaphragmatic hernia and to remove a
> teratoma from her chest. During this time she received only IVs, rather
> than TPN IVs. Even on the Vietnamese growth charts, she is considered
> severely malnourished.
> Thanks in advance for your wisdom.
>
>
> Barbara A. Shocker RN BSN IBCLC
> Breastfeeding Resource Program
> M.S. Hershey Medical Center
> Hershey, Pa. 17033
> [log in to unmask]
> 717 531 3754
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