Hello Lactnetters,

What I am really contacting you about is a dear little  Down's baby and his
BF. mum is rather a sweet lady who BF her first for 6 months until she was
very sick and told to give up, usual story on dangerous drugs to baby and
she didn't know about relactating till we talked! She feels she let her
first baby down. And wants to feed this little special baby, although she
hasn't been told what is wrong with this baby I took it upon my self to
answer her questions honestly as she felt he would be special in Utero!

 Little 35weeker Down's Syndrome Baby  arrived yesterday here(Quetta,
Pakistan)! I have spoon fed him(?3kg)all today's shift and taught Mum how as
I went ,by example. He doesn't seem to have muscular control enough and of
tongue action to suckle. Tried the exercises I usually use but the problem
seems more apparent after stimulation. He does make the effort to suckle at
the attempting a BF to start each time but weakly. By the end of the shift
he was lipping of the spoon like a kitten but when tried on the breast he
just didn't seem to have the strength and control.

By Staff and Doctors attitude, I am sure he will become another statistic
here. No cardiac Involvement found on examination. Am not just giving up! As
These children can treated right be so beautiful and independent and lead a
normal life only slower!!! 'Allah Wills'- is not my answer- especially in a
Christian Hospital-' Our Lord helps those who learn to help themselves' is
my motto. I don't see him as a bad Downs rather a Prem Problem. Have been
given  till tomorrow to get him going BF, AS he goes home then, as mum was a
normal delivery!

I haven't the aids I used in Darwin. I have adapted a bottle(squeezy mustard
variety) with small hole in the little white lid block of a normal bottle,
to the flow and a teat cut to be like a  scoop/spoon for Mum to try as her
supply improves and taught her to express, Massage and express every 3 hours
and have been getting around 15mls. She is enthusiastic so hope that
tomorrow i can see her able to feed him herself.

Any suggestions would be thankfully received

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html