I have not been able to read Lactnet much lately, but did take a look at the
Schanler study and read some of the follow-up posts.  A few things stand out
for me.

As pointed out by Nancy Wight, there was some value to donor milk, compared
to formula only.  Even if it is not statistically significant, each of those
insignificant statistics is a real live baby and the benefits to even one
baby should not be overlooked.  One must keep that in mind when evaluating
results and then using them to formulate policy.

There is not a real substitute for fresh(or frozen) mothers' own milk.
While many elements are preserved, at least at some level, even after
pasteurization, there are others that are destroyed or altered and they may
be the ones that prove to be most important in establishing maximum immune
function.  We need to be pushing hard for programs which maximize the use of
MM.  Yes, they are time-intensive and cost money, but so does caring for a
critically ill baby.  Just a few extra days in a NICU represents an enormous
cost which could possibly be avoided in a significant number of cases by
increased use of MM.

STS can also be a critical element for many of these moms and babies.  There
are many NICUs that want MM, but not mom - just drop off the milk, please,
and go away so we can handle the details.  It seems to me that often one
goes hand-in-hand with the other - the closer the bond between mother and
child, the more likely that milk will be forthcoming, not to mention other
benefits.  We need to be trying for the whole package whenever feasible.

Affecting change in the NICU is a very difficult task to undertake.  Perhaps
it would be useful for those IBCLCs who work in this environment to seek
each other out in a more deliberate fashion and form a working group that
may be better able to influence policies and procedures.  Perhaps lactation
consulting has reached the stage where we need to be forming more
specialized frameworks in order to be most effective.  The older I get the
more difficult it becomes to spread myself too thinly (just the opposite of
what I thought would happen - what became of all that extra time I was going
to have in my empty nest?). Many NICU IBCLCs are not on Lactnet.  Many are
probably not even members of ILCA.  How do they start linking up?  Nurses
specialize and the specialties have their own organizations and even
journals.  Perhaps more people would join ILCA if it included a way to work
more closely with those in a similar environment.  Just a little free
association here.  Food for thought.

That's all for now.  Good luck to all of you who are working with these
special babies. It is not an easy road to hoe.  My hat is off to you all.

Warmly,
Sharon Knorr, BSMT, IBLCL
Newark, New York (upstate, near Rochester)

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.14/79 - Release Date: 8/22/2005
 



-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.14/79 - Release Date: 8/22/2005

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html