Hello, All.
I just have to share two anecdotes related to bottle-feeding. A
couple of years ago, I had a mom call me in tears. She was pumping and she knew
she was just never going to be able to keep up with her baby's needs. I was a
bit confused by this, but as I continued to ask questions, I learned that she
had a premie who currently weighed 5 lbs. She was "only" able to pump 4 oz.
every time she pumped, and her baby took all 4 oz. every time he ate. How would
she ever be able to keep up as he grew?
I told her I would describe a scenario, and asked her to let me know
if it sounded like her situation. I said, during feedings you lay the baby
back on your forearm so you can cuddle him. He takes the whole 4 oz. bottle.
Then you sit him up to burp him and he promptly makes a huge puddle on the
floor. To which she replies, Yes! That's it exactly! I said I'm betting your
baby is throwing up 3 out of 4 oz. A 5 lb. baby wouldn't need much more than 1
oz. at a feeding. I suggested she sit the baby up and use a slow-flow nipple,
and then call me back to let me know what happens. The next day she called
back, very happy. She said that her baby only took 1 oz. when she fed him as I
suggested, and he didn't spit up anything, and she had done that for the
previous 24 hours. "Since I have 3 oz. left over from every pumping, now I know
I'll easily be able to keep up with him!"
Another time, a nurse called me from a hospital to discuss a baby who
was having breastfeeding difficulties. She added, "But he really loves his
bottle!" So I replied, "You are feeding him with a regular-flow nipple and
laying him back flat, so the milk pours into his mouth. He's a newborn who is
still learning how to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing. He hasn't
got the wherewithal to try to suck, swallow and breathe without drowning while
you've got the milk pouring into his mouth AND tell you 'Thanks, I'm done now.'
What choice does he have but to 'love' his bottle?" To which she replied,
"Oh! I never thought of that."
Dee
Dee Kassing, BS, MLS, IBCLC
Collinsville, Illinois, in central USA
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