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Date: | Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:35:47 -0600 |
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Echoing Cathy, I try to educate mothers that most jaundice comes from
sleepy babies who do not suck actively -- otherwise called "not enough
breast milk" jaundice. I would teach the hospital staff to teach active
sucking, and monitor diaper counts and weight loss. Most of these
jaundiced babies are not doing well enough at nursing -- and I am not
talking about the physiological causes, of course. For those babies who
are not transferring milk, giving them some formula adds calories which
"revives" them, plus creating bowel movements. But it gives mom a
message that her milk isn't good enough unless she is taught about
active sucking and milk transfer and shown how to increase milk transfer
with breastfeeding.
Hardly anyone understands active sucking and milk transfer and this is
something I talk about over and over in the breastfeeding class I teach.
Everyone just assumes if baby is latched then baby is transferring milk.
When I worked in a hospital as the LC, and the doctor would order
formula for jaundice, I almost always taught mom to supplement at the
breast and we got the babies to start actively sucking and transferring
milk. Plus, we could use just a little formula instead of a whole bottle
worth. Teaching it this way, mom always had that "light bulb" look in
her eyes when we finished the feeding and she showed relief and joy that
it wasn't breastfeeding that was the problem. She also had the knowledge
to improve breastfeeding. (And I am not disputing any research on
formula lowering jaundice....)
Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC
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