Jeannette

I have another thought, and I don't mean to be disrespectful, but if 
a premie baby has severe pulmonary hypoplasia, and has only recently 
started receiving milk by tube, is there any evidence to show that 
fortifying the mother's breastmilk will help her in any way to build 
healthy lung tissue?  I would think that if the fortifier is not made 
from human milk, then on the contrary, disrupting exclusive 
breastmilk-feeding and exposing her to foreign proteins would only 
potentially add to her breathing difficulties??  And since - with 
respiratory difficulties - the amount of total fluid she is able to 
receive may be at a set quantity (??150ml/kg/day, perhaps even less 
if she's not doing well??) then the fortifier would be displacing her 
mother's milk, rather than supplementing it??

I also understood that the main purpose of fortifier was to achieve a 
catch-up weight gain for a prem baby once she was older, already 
stabilised, breathing well, and perhaps ready to go home (ie to build 
bone, fat and muscle mass)???

An enquiring mind is very curious about the rationale with this one.... :-)

Pamela Morrison IBCLC
Rustington, England
-------------------------------------------------
Amazing LACTNET women:

Background: PTP a dear friend has a preemie, now 12 days old, born at 30 wk
gestation following PPROM at 17 weeks. Baby has severe pulmonary
hypoplasia. She weighs 3 lbs 3 oz.

She just started receiving breastmilk via OG tube. Plan is to start
fortifying in a week to give her extra boost to build healthy lung tissue.

A few questions:

Which fortifier? The hospital uses similac liquid fortifier. I encouraged
her to ask about Prolacta. They have acknowledged it would be a safer
option, but said it would be an insurance battle. Agreed that prolacta is a
better choice? If yes, do you have access to any research to suggest this
is a safer option? Mom has been told she'll need research to convince the
insurance company.

Using her milk? I recall a program where mom's milk was used instead, by
(correct me around what I've got wrong here) testing the fat levels and
adjusting appropriately. Is there some way she can tap into that option
without the hospital doing it? Could her milk somehow be tested and
adjusted off-site and shipped back?

What am I missing? Other thoughts?

Thanks so much in advance for your help!

Jeanette

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome