Hi all,

My baby with Down's (my, aren't we possessive here :)  finally went in to see
the peds, (not their doc), was put in hospital for observation.  Saw them
this morning; he looks better, more alert.  Has two holes in the heart; an AV
defect & something else -- can't remember what, but neither needs surgical
intervention right away, and that isn't causing the feeding problems.  Still
taking ages to get any food down punkin, but they are using the Haberman or a
MJ soft bottle for about 1/2 hour -- he's OK for the first ounce, but shuts
down after that.  They then tube feed the rest.  Mom & Dad will learn tube
feeding and take punkin home today.  They don't know why baby refuses to eat.
 Doc suspects maybe hypothyroidism, but we'll see.  Will keep you posted.
 Guess my major frustration in all this is that the midwife didn't follow
more closely given that she suspected/knew he had Down's and he had a feeding
problem from minute one.  Why did she wait 10 days to follow with the baby?
 Why did she not tell the parents to get in to see their docs immediately?
 These are questions that remain to be answered, and unfortuately, pit the
medical community against the alternative community when something like this
happens.  Sigh.

But knowing he has been seen and we have a method of feeding will allow me to
sleep tonight.  I haven't slept well the past two nights.

There was an interesting article in the New York Times on Tuesday, I believe,
about hormones, specifically oxytocin & prolactin and their relationship to
relationships.  It was a fabulous article -- unfortunately, I haven't had
time to get a copy of it, but in essence, it talked about women as nurturers
and developing the social (as opposed to the warring) side of our beings.
 The reason for that is the oxytocin & prolactin.  the article goes on in
depth, but one interesting thing it notes is that when oxytocin is released,
particularly during a let down, the breasts become much warmer.  I wonder if
there is an increase in oxytocin levels when a mother is holding her child
skin to skin, even if she isn't bf at that moment, which, although men have
oxytocin, isn't as signficant so their chests (except for a few nurturers in
our midst) don't get as warm.  Lisa, that might answer your question...
though it may raise more questions than it answers.

If anyone gets a chance to get the article, it is really good.

Jan, in Wheaton, where we are slowly getting ready for prom.  The fingernails
are done....