We have had WONDERFUL success with Down Syndrome babies breastfeeding two to
three or more years.  The secret ingredients are using a double piston style
pump early on to establish milk supply at high levels and use of non-bottle
feeding aids to augment until baby's strength and coordination improve.  What
we use is the Haberman feeder.  It has worked wonders in encouraging proper
peristalic motion of the tongue without tiring out the parents as
finger-feeding can do.  As soon as baby is organizing well and will remain
attached to breast with good "emptying" of the breast, mom eases off pumping,
Habermaning etc. and continues to breastfeed "on demand" as long as they both
want to.  Our moms that have used this protocol have even begun to network
with support for each other.  I am thrilled with their success.  It just show
to go you that it CAN be done in SPITE of the medical profession sometimes!

I have had one baby who had diagnosed LCAD syndrome.  History: Mom was
admitted for "toxemia" had C-section at about 36 weeks, went to CCU because
of unstable cardiac status, etc. Did not see or nurse baby for many days.
 Due to her instability, pumping was the last thing of importance.  She came
to see me a couple of weeks later with no milk and a baby who was being
bottle fed.  We used pumping and Habermaning to get her milk supply tup (it
took 19 days!) She went from 5 cc to a full milk supply.  However, at 4
months, baby became lethargic, liver enzymes were measured.  Baby admitted to
hospital a few days later and finally died of cardiac arrest.  LCAD was
diagnosed right before the baby died.  The M.D.'s say that there are very few
diagnosed cases on record.  Most die and are thought to be SIDS.  Average
life span, mother was told, is about 4 years  with lots of life quality
issues.  We are deeply saddened.  Mom is grateful for what they had together.
 She was told by someone that if she had not breastfed, baby might have had a
little longer life span.  I have found very little info on this.  Per haps
Dr. Newman can enlighten us on that one.  Mom does not accept this info as
unbiased.  Since the condition is so rarely diagnosed and so inevitably
fatal, I wonder why say this to mom?