Hello
I'm a recently recerticfied IBCLC and a (nurse) midwife in Independent
Practice based in Mandurang which is in Central Victoria, Australia. I
mostly provide midwifery and lactational care to women in their own homes.
My practice is, by choice, very limitted at present due to my own children.
I have an 8yo son (bf 3years) and an 18 month daughter (unweaned) who was
born at 33 weeks gestation. The membranes ruptured during her pregnancy at
25 weeks, I refused to be hospitalised so my husband took time off work and
I rested in a rented house near a level 3 hospital. We lasted for eight
weeks, certainly the most stressful in my life, but once she was born on the
battle was really on ... to ensure she had nothing but human milk. There is
no milk bank, she had an IV (prophylactic antibiotics & hypoglycaemia) and
she just had my milk. I'm proud to say she was exclusively breastmilk fed
until six months despite the paediatrician and other hospital staff and it
has been hard to believe that she was born prem.

In a belated response to Janet (30July95) RE: delayed/no milk production and
previous abuse.
I have undertaken some research (late 1992) entitled 'The experience of
childbirth for survivors of incest' (ParrattJ 1994 Midwifery v.10, n.1.
pp.26-39). It is qualitative research and therefore low in numbers of
participants but rich in data. Fortunately the women also chose to speak
about their bf experiences too and I have a half written paper on this
(maybe I'll be motivated to complete it now). From my research and clinical
experience I can say I have seen both extremes of bf experience for
survivors. I believe that low supply related to an abuse history is possible
but not probable. There are certainly survivors of abuse who are successful
breastfeeders too. Self esteem and body image were identified among others
as important issues for survivors. More research needs to be done on how
they relate to bf for survivors but for the general population also.

It is not a suprise that there are no easy answers.
I too have problems with the mass of messages to keep up with on the lactnet.

Regards from Jenny Parratt.
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John Togno
Project Co-leader PRHCIT
Telephone 054 418622 Fax 054 418602 Mobile 015843235
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