Hi!  First off I want to say how much I have enjoyed this list and learned
from everyone experiences!
Now for my concerns--I'm a nurse in a small rural hospital where we do all
the breastfeeding assessment and counselling as there is no lactation
consultant.  My patient delivered 4 wweks ago a baby boy 7lbs 9oz (one shot
of demerol in labour)  babe latched well in the hospital but milk was not in
at discharge.  Christmas came and went and the mum was nursing every 2 hours
and at 2 weeks the baby was 7lbs 1 oz.  At that time her Dr. recommend that
she supp with ABM with cup or syringe which was done following nursing.
Latch was assessed at looked good at the DR. office.  At 3 weeks the babe
was 7 lbs 2 oz and at 4 weeks the babe was 7 lbs 12 oz.  The babe was hungry
so the supps are getting bigger and the babe is still nursingevery 2 hours.
Mum has been pumping following feeds and taking domperidone 80mg QID.  Mum
is now exhausted and totally discouraged and getting a lot of feedback that
she is starving her baby and so has decided to bottle feed in light of babes
poor weight gain and the fact that diapers were getting too few and mum
decided that enough was enough.  Is there any suggestions to help improve
supply that have not been mentioned and how can I support this mum in all
her efforts and obvious desire and commitment to breastfeeding but not
having success.  I forgot to mention the the mum was treated for infertility
for 3 years prior to becoming pregnant due to hormonal imbalance and that
during pregnancy she did not experience any breast changes.  Mum does not
feel letdown or experience any leaking , she states her breasts are soft all
the time except first thing in the am now that she has been giving a bottle
and getting 4 hours uninterrupted sleep.  What do I do?  At this point would
a test weight be helpful or just induce unnecessary anxiety in mum?  Thanks
for your advice and I'd be happy to gather more info (mum hads decided to
supp with breastmilk as long as she can  and try to breastfeed for another
6weeks)   Heather
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To: Recipients of LACTNET digests <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, January 25, 1999 22:07
Subject: LACTNET Digest - 25 Jan 1999