Saturday, October 8, 2011

Pumping and bottlefeeding. Now pumping three times a day, Mom had enough milk to donate 500 ounces to a milk bank.

Quan's daughter had latch difficulties from birth and preferred a bottle.  Although she nursed for the first three months, Quan had sore nipples and her daughter never emptied her very well.  During this time she had mastitis (treated with Clindamycin), and supply problems, which she resolved by taking fenugreek, goat's rue and pumping after feedings for two weeks.  Since she was pumping after feedings to empty, Quan gradually found it easier to just pump and bottle feed.  For the first three months, she pumped and nursed seven--occasionally six-- times a day.

Then she transitioned to pumping five times a day.  When she was able to maintain her supply doing this, she began to pump four times a day, and now--at seven months, she is pumping three times a day. She gets approximately two five ounce bottles each time.  Her baby is exclusively breastmilk fed.  Her supply, even though she is exclusively  pumping, is substantial.   She donated 500 ounces to a milk bank in April. Quan plans to wean at a year.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

No Latch for Six Weeks--premature baby in NICU

Hudson was born at 37 weeks and went to the NICU due to lung immaturity.  Breastfeeding was delayed, and when he did nurse, Hudson would only latch with a shield and didn't take a full feeding.

  Rachel pumped for several weeeks, but gradually phased out pumping to two times a day as she became discouraged about breastfeeding.  She also had a 17 month old baby,  whom she had nursed for 10 months, so there was little time to pump.  Rachel was only pumping three ounces a day when we met.

We latched Hudson using self attachment techniques, and he nursed very well, taking a full three ounces at breast.  However, that week, Rachel was unable to get him to latch herself, and just used a hand pump--getting only two ounces a day.  She almost cancelled the next visit.

The next time, however,  Hudson--a determined boy-- again latched on, and this time took two ounces at breast  after we had given him a little formula first, since he was hungry and her supply was low.  Rachel was then able to latch him herself on the second side, and continued to do so.  She emailed later saying she had latched him well herself, as evidenced above.

She is going to continue to nurse him after giving him partial formula feeding first, while she uses supplements and medication to increase her supply.  He seems to be enjoying the change, and so is she.