A while ago I asked about the toxemia and its potential consequences
to mom and baby. She delivered before I had a chance to meet her
face-to-face at the hospital. Here's the update, and btw, this
hospital is preparing for the BFHI, and is going to apply for the BFH
status in 2003.
Mom (yes, she is a family member, as someone guessed) delivered by
(non-emergency) c/s at 36+6 wks, baby was 1815 g and 42 cm (4 lbs and
16 ½ inches). Mom's blood pressure was sky high, and she said they
gave her tons of meds to lower the bp (she is a RN). Mom was pretty
much out of it the first few hours after c/s. Otherwise mom was ok,
incision felt a lot better than after her previous abdominal surgery
1,5 years ago (non pregnancy related).
On second day, 30 h after the delivery, mom asked a nurse about the
milk production, would she just wait for the milk to come in or what,
and whether her milk could even be given to the baby (meds). None of
the nurses mentioned her a word of pumping before the she herself, a
primipara, brought the subject up. The nurse brought her a hand pump,
a sylinder type of, like the Kaneson Comfort Plus on p. 445 in Riordan
& Auerbach. Not a drop. She was not given instructions on how often
and how long to pump.
On day 3 she complained to the doctor that she was not able to get out
any milk with that pump. The doctor told "Neither was I". That simple.
Later that day a nurse finally came to show her how to hand express.
On day 3 she was able to express total 5 ml.
On day 4 she got an Avent Isis handpump, and was able to express a lot
more.
On day 5 mom was dismissed (without baby) and reported breasts were
much fuller. Mom visited the hospital daily for a few hours, except
from day 8 to day 12 due to nasty cold and fever, but nevertheless
kept on pumping as often as she felt she was able to.
***
After birth the baby was taken to the nicu (the nicu is one room at
the end of pediatric ward hallway), kept in incubator for two days
(then in an open crib), given two ab's "just in case", and glucose by
IV. Otherwise baby stabile and ok. Since the day of birth baby was
offered bottles. Took perhaps 7 ml at a time, and then the rest was
given by tube.
Baby was given to parents to hold for 15 minutes at a time, and baby
rested in full clothes on a pillow in mom's/dad's lap. Parents were
allowed to chance diapers, but bottle and tube feeding was performed
by nurses. Kangaroo care out of question because the baby would chill
if out of the incubator for too long. Would be interesting to know
what was the nurses' excuse after the baby got out of the incubator on
day 3.
Mom and dad requested bfeeding several times but it was not allowed
for reasons like: "The baby took only 10 ml, he cannot (not strong
enough) suckle at the breast yet", and "Then we wouldn't know how much
to give by bottle/tube after bfeeding".
On day 5 the baby was lucky. A new nurse came into shift at night, and
she felt it was ok to bfeed - but, after the bottle. Anyway, that was
a start, and the parents were able to say to the other nurses "Oh, the
baby has been allowed to bfeed already!" ;) .
The nurses at the nicu were happy to receive any drop of expressed
colostrum, but otherwise the support for breastfeeding or expressing
seemed non-existent.
***
The baby was dismissed at 2 weeks of age, with instructions to
give Premilon preemie formula twice a day until 3 kg (6 lbs 10 oz).
Mom continued pumping after most feedings, and produced more than the
baby took. The baby was supplemented with her ebm, by bottle. I
introduced the SNS briefly to her when the baby was still at the
hospital, and said if she was interested I would explain it more
throughly. She was not.
The baby reached the 3 kg milestone last week, at 5 weeks of age, and
mom was able to quit the last two daily pumping sessions (the preemie
formula, remember). Baby bfeeds on demand and well, but since the
parents have not yet taken the baby outdoors or to visits (winter;
flu), the mom feels happy the baby still accepts ebm bottle by dad, so
she can occasionally go out shortly. I have encouraged her to take the
baby with her and bfeed right where he shows signs of hunger, "It is
so easy to go anywhere with a small baby when you only have to take
your breasts along", and that kind of stuff, you know ;) , but well,
we'll see.
I am so happy for this mom and the baby, they did a wonderful job.
Sanna-Mari, mom to Rasmus 99 & someone 5/02
a mom-to-mom bf support group leader
Finland, Scandinavia
***********************************************
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
|
