At 15:17 24/5/00 -0400, Elisheva wrote:
>whose babies
>are NPO need to "pump 10 times a day" or whatever, in the first days, before
>lactogenesis II, do we actually mean *pump*, like, with a device, because the
>suction is important here?   Or is, say, Marmet technique of hand expression
>an OK substitute for this kind of nipple stim ?   What are folks doing in
>countries where sick babies' mothers don't have pumps available, and does it
>work OK?

Elisheva, though I come from a country which definitely DOES have pumps
(Australia), in my experience they are not a tool we use until AFTER
lactogenesis II.  Up until then it is all hand expressing.  Our experience
is that we obtain milk at every expression (unlike with a pump where
previous posts suggest it can take up to 6 or so sessions to obtain
anything) and give that milk to the baby (who would otherwise have had to
have 'the other').  It's gentle and introduces pumping to a new mother who
may have to do it for many weeks in a non-threatening way.

I can't remember the name of the video, I think it may have been the
kangaroo care one (one of the originals).  It shows a 'line-up' of mothers,
all of whose babies are in NICU, sitting hand expressing into basins.  They
very quickly and very efficiently fill those basins without any problems.
Everyone expressing together was suggested as a very positive psychological
factor too.

So, no Elisheva, you definitely don't NEED a pump. It may make it easier
and faster for some women, but 'those tools on the end of our arms' are
just as good.

Denise

****************************************************
Denise Fisher, BN, RM, IBCLC
BreastEd Online Lactation Studies Course
http://www.breasted.com.au
mailto:[log in to unmask]
****************************************************

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