Hi again! I am resubmitting this post because this mom really needs a
support system, and I did not get much response from this 1/17/97 post.
Please excuse the redundancy.
H E L P ! ! ! Special mom needs special support!!!
Mom with 4 month old, ECMO (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation) baby
boy has gone through a lot, and is STILL nursing despite difficulties created
by hospital settings. Due to his condition, baby has already had a heart
lung bypass, and has broncho pulmonary dysplasia. Currently, he has a
tracheostomy and is on a ventilator. Amazingly (or should I say due to
Breastfeeding?), this baby does not have the typical, neurological
impairments that ECMO babies have, and he has a strong suck!
Aside from current problems, mom and dad are true survivors. Both are
recent cancer patients in remission. Mom had only begun to recuperate for 4
months after her surgery and treatment before she became pregnant (by
accident).
Our needs are twofold. First, I would love to get pearls of
Breastfeeding wisdom from any of you out there in Lactnet Land about
assisting moms who are nursing a baby with a tracheostomy. Second, this mom
really needs to speak to other moms that have done this. According to the
hospital staff, she is a rare bird. If you know anyone who has succesfully
nursed a tracheostomy baby, please get permission to provide her name, phone,
& address to this Mom, and e-mail me privately, so she can get this support.
By the way, Mom is an LLL Leader too! Debbie Albert, IBCLC
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