Great suggestions below (poor babies, it really breaks my heart to think
about what they are learning about the world).
I find it helps to remind people that after about the first 5 days the
baby's stomach is only the size of the baby's fist (apparently true for
adults too). This is in the context of explaining why human infants want to
nurse 'so often', but it could also be useful for parents who are feeding by
bottle.
Ingrid
-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Judith L. Gutowski
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 5:48 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Request - Topics for Child Welfare Staff
Jeannette,
One thing I would talk about is the need for parents to understand that the
baby needs held and comforted. Tell them how breastfeeding provides this
naturally.
With breastfed infants, the breast can be used for comfort without
overfeeding. With bottle feeding this is not the case.
I have worked providing lactation services and feeding assessments for Early
Intervention. The homes we serve often include at-risk populations. This
experience has demonstrated to me how uninformed parents are about how to
care for infants and even how to bottle feed infants. I have observed a 7
pound, preemie, adjusted age of 2 weeks old, being forced to "guzzle" a 6 oz
bottle of formula. Mother reported feeds every 4-6 hours indicating a
minimum of 24 oz of milk and possible 36 oz. This infant should be fed 18 oz
total in 24 hours, with feeds 10-12 (Q2-3hours) times a day averaging 1.5 to
1.8 oz. These infants are fed lying flat on their backs, choking, sputtering
and dribbling milk everywhere, all the while sending out distress signals
which are unnoticed by parents and social service workers alike. They baby
has reflux - of course he does. I came across this problem in almost every
bottle fed infant I saw, which wasn't many in total, but still is terrible.
Parents do this when feeding expressed breast milk or formula. I teach paced
bottle feeding and give out intake requirements charts with explanations of
how much to feed and how often. So you need to help the ones who are bottle
feeding too.
Many of these kids are plagiocephalic and have torticollis as well because
they spend all of their time in a crib or seat, even while being fed. This
requires therapy which is completely preventable by holding the baby and
breastfeeding on both sides. With these ubiquitous buckets, no one hold the
baby. It is a sad state.
Judy
Judith L. Gutowski, BA, IBCLC, RLC
135 McGrath Lane
P Box 1
Hannastown, PA 15635-0001
Cell Phone 724-331-6607
Fax 724-837-0129
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