Rachel writes;
>>Lynn, do you know whether this mother has a history of any eating disorder?
There are several red flags here, the force feeding, the need to distance
herself from them (not getting her milk, not breastfeeding), the lack of
ability to let them experience hunger and then satiety as normal comfortable
events...<<
Great thoughts Rachel. I too have wondered about an eating disorder but Mom
doesn't admit to a history. Mom's Mom  is extremely overweight, however.
Although the eating disorder remains a possibility, I also wonder if this Mom
could be much more of your average first time Mom, at least as defined here
in the states,  than we might LIKE to think.  Her initial preoccupation with
amts taken and ultimate caloric intake is not at all uncommon and may in fact
be a normal byproduct of "the premie in Nicu" scenario whereby brfdng is
portrayed as "stressful" and harder for the baby to initiate and maintain.
Couple this with the fact that their NICU stay has "taught" them to be
focused on the numbers ie. amts in, amts out, daily wt. checks etc. These
issues have contributed to the struggle to promote and support brfdng with
this population for many years now and may be even further compromised by the
addition of the added cals/nutrients "provided" with the premie d/c formulas.
Doesn't this give families the message that Mom's milk is somehow not good
enough ie. It needs to be mixed with formula EVEN WHEN normal growth
parameters are met?
Bottle feedings of these babies range from their reluctant acceptance of the
bottle nipple to active fighting and crying but to their Mom, who has never
witnessed an actively engaged brfdng baby, amts taken and wt gain are the
criteria by which she is judged. Ad to this the stress level incumbent on
managing the fdng of  twins........ I don't know but it has been extremely
frustrating for me. I literally can't wait to do 1 more bloody @#$%^*!
wt. check this week and then discharge! Last week she even asked where she
could buy a baby scale like mine which I, of course, vehemently discouraged.
Thanks for the thoughts!
Lynn Shea Rn,Bsn,Ibclc
Franklin,Massachusetts

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