Jennifer,
The words I would like to use to describe my opinion of the personal
qualities of the Dr who said that she had outlived her usefulness should not
be used on a public forum like Lactnet. I think that you can discount that
statement, no good reason given for the opinion by the sound. Perhaps her
milk might need fortification of some sort but it has to be much better for
her son than a commercial product, especially if there is any risk of
aspiration. He's only a baby for goodness sake! Weaning at 1yo is premature
weaning by any knowledgeable professional's standard. Friend's make for good
support but and ignorance and arrogance make a bad Dr IMO! That's my gut
reaction to your post as a non-health care professional!

Anyway, I thought you might be interested in a case I was involved in
recently. In this case a child several years old, with severe brain damage
(ataxia, problems with muscle tone, seizures, g-tube fed, nonambulatory and
non-verbal) started to breastfeed (suckle at the breast, mother is not
lactating) after being in skin to skin contact with his mother. My
interpretation of the situation is that environmental triggers brought up
the "breastfeeding program" that babies are born with....Tina Smillie's seen
it with young babies I've seen it in post-institutionalised adopted children
up to 12 years of age. It has been a lovely thing for this mother and I
though I know that this might not have any applicability to your friend, you
never know it just might!

Karleen Gribble
Australia







Dear Wise Ones,
> I haven't posted in a long time, but I've been reading intermittently,
just
> too busy to keep up.  Of course now I'm back because I'm hoping someone
will
> know more than I do about a particular child.
> I have permission to post.  I've mentioned this baby before on Lactnet.
He
> will be 1 year old on Oct. 30.  He was born after a serious placental
> abruption and has anoxic brain injury.  He has been G-tube fed since 1
month
> of age.  His mother has pumped for him this entire year.  Until about 2
mos
> ago, breastmilk was almost his exclusive diet.  He has been very slow to
> grow.  At almost 1 year, he weighs just 15 lbs, and is also below standard
> growth charts 3rd percentile for height and head circumference.  He has
been
> relatively physically healthy, though.  We have tried repeatedly to
increase
> the volume that he eats, but have been unable to as he just vomits more if
> the volume is increased.  On the advice of a developmental ped, mom tried
> adding powdered formula to fortify breastmilk, but he doesn't tolerate
this
> and just vomits more.
> In the last 2 weeks, he has suddenly started to have more intake by mouth.
> He is now taking breastmilk by bottle, about a total of 600-700 ml per day
> (21-25 oz) and also some pureed foods, mostly vegetables to which mom adds
> some additional coconut oil and infant cereal made with breastmilk.  He is
> difficult to feed by any method, and this mom is very dedicated and spends
> much of her day pumping, feeding and caring for this little guy.  She has
> been on domperidone since baby was about 3 mos old and continues to
produce
> his current intake, plus a little extra.
> Here's the questions after all this background.  Mom recently took him to
> the developmental pediatrician and he also had a repeat swallow study.  I
> have not seen the report, but mom says they told her he had no aspiration
> with any consistencies, but that he had delayed swallowing with thin
liquids
> and they are worried he may aspirate because of that.  The developmental
ped
> recommends thickening all thin liquids.  Also, the ped was very unhappy
> about his weight, and told mom that she had "long out-lived her
usefulness"
> pumping milk for this baby and that it was inappropriate for him to still
be
> getting breastmilk.  She recommended putting the baby on pediasure
instead.
> This mom is very reluctant to switch to pediasure, especially since this
> baby has not tolerated any formula when she's tried it for fortification
or
> supplementation.  She wants to continue to pump for him through the winter
> at least, but she is feeling pretty discouraged after being told she had
> "outlived her usefulness."
>

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