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Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 20 Mar 1998 23:18:40 +0000
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Hi,
>If I hadn't by chance met her husband when I did, she probably would have
>gone on to beleive that she can't produce milk, as she was told in hospital.
>
I am not an LC, but when my baby was in NICU, no one seemed to know much
at all about breastfeeding except me, so the mums turned to me for
advice. Three of the mums were convinced they couldn't breastfeed
because, like the mum in your story, they couldn't express a drop of
milk. So I showed them how I did it (I have no shame :-) ). I used the
Marmet technique and although I am not great at it, it works better for
me than a pump. They were so fascinated, they all tried it themselves
and all three of them got some milk out. It did wonders for their
confidence. I suspect that they too were trying to get milk out by
force, instead of gently coaxing it out as you have to do at first, and
until they saw me doing it, I think they were shy about handling their
own breasts.

Oh, and btw, I also had to reassure them that human milk is supposed to
be "watery" :-^

After that, several of the nurses came up to me telling me they heard
"wild tales" of a woman that could express without a breastpump and
asking me incredulously how I managed it. I was quite amazed at their
ignorance, but at least they were willing to learn. I know pumps have
their place, but I wonder sometimes if, like birth, breastfeeding is
getting a bit too technological until the HCPs don't believe a woman
*can* get milk out without a shiny machine.
--
Anna (Mummy to Emma, born 17th Jan 1995, Alice, born 11th Sept 1996,
??? due 18th April 1998)
Email: [log in to unmask]  Web Page: http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna

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