I had a go at breastfeeding first and then baby was fed EBM/ DBM if that was felt not enough (there was weighing before and after feeds which I used to lie about :-)).
I needed lots of quiet time with my son - with no interuptions. He was tired and suckled infrequently. But the staff encouraged me to keep at it.
After about a week, he was feeding well, but basically I was there all the time to feed when he woke. Special room to settle and feed - every encouragement to breastfeed. Bottle feeding was a last resort and not offered as a first option. This was 10 years ago in the UK.
Breastfeeding premmies can be done, but what you need is the support of NICU staff and the right setting (we had a special room set aside with low lighting etc, to help us).
Baby went home before term, fully breasfted and never had a bottle :-)
I would be happy to talk more offlist.
Debbie Slater
Perth, WA
----- Original Message ----- From: "Miriam Hannay" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au>
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 7:04 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Breastfeeding a premmie baby (very long)
Hi all, hope you can help me with advice for a follow through woman (i am a commencing 2nd yr Bmid student)who had her babe by emerg. LSCS at 35 weeks on 22nd December due to PROM + active labour, baby footling breech. Babe was 2490 grams at birth but had pretty bad RDS and spent a week in NICU requiring heaps of oxygen support. All's well now, and mum has marvellous milk supply which she would love to give her baby, BUT!!
The woman has been expressing 8 times in 24 hours and getting 60-100 mLs per session, babe is being gavage fed in nursery and is constantly sleepy and not keen to go on the breast. When the woman requested no dummy and bottle and to be called when her babe woke to start establishing demand feeding at breast, staff immediately became VERY negative, refusing to speak with her, ignoring requests for assistance etc. She was told she was 'doing it the hard way' and that if she refused to allow her baby to be given EBM by bottle she would end up stuck in hospital for weeks. She has allowed the baby to be given EBM by bottle and does feel that breastfeeding is improving but feels uncomfortable with staff and that she's not being given the chance to give breastfeeding a good shot. I have watched her feed and when alert the baby feeds well, the woman's attachment technique is great and they are a great unit. I have four of my own, all extended breastfed so I feel confident in supporting her breastfeeding but am lost with these nursery protocols. One midwife told her that nipple confusion was 'crap' and that without bottle feeding as transition her baby would take much longer 'graduating' to the breast. Every core of my being screams out that these people are WRONG but i'm not sure where the best evidence lies. My Maye's Midwifery supports the idea of demand feeding premmies and avoiding nipple confusion but the info is a little light for my liking. What do you all think? This woman has been told to expect her baby to be in hospital until she's term but she's desperate to get her home ASAP. Any advice would be wonderful, regards, miriam
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