THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 19, 1995 TAG: 9509200633
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By DEBRA GORDON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 107 lines
BREAST-FEEDING isn't an instinctive act and, without proper coaching, many women have trouble. We asked women to tell us their stories:
``My third son was delivered by Caesarean section. He had respiratory problems and got a feeding tube in his stomach, which gave him an instant gratification for hunger. So when I tried to breast-feed him, he would whine and cry. . . . I tried to continue, but my milk would only contain him for two hours, and it became too difficult to (take care of) him and my other (older) son. So I wasn't successful in breast-feeding my son.''
Chesapeake General Hospital lactation consultant Amy Adkins says she would have suggested that this mom use a device called a ``supplemental nutrition system.''
With this system, a pouch holds formula or pumped breast-milk. A thin tube extends from the pouch and is taped onto the breast. The end of the tube lies just near the mother's nipple, so when the baby sucks, he is rewarded with the milk.
The baby's sucking motion helps stimulate the breast, which in turn sends a message to the mother's body to produce more milk. Within a few days, the system can be discarded because mom is making enough of her own milk.
``I gave up breast-feeding at about 10 weeks. I returned to work after six weeks. After about four weeks, my milk production decreased, but my child's needs increased. I think it was due to the stress of the job.''
Stress has a definite effect on a nursing mother's milk supply, Adkins says. Very frequent nursing, every two hours, for example, can increase milk supply. Or a mother could try pumping her milk in addition to breast-feeding to build up her supply.
It's also important to minimize stress, which may be difficult for mothers who work outside the home or who are trying to care for other children, Adkins says. Taking the baby to bed and nursing and resting all weekend might help.
``I gave up after 4 1/2 weeks because the baby just wasn't getting enough milk.''
``Sometimes it's just the mother's perception of how much is enough,'' Adkins says. ``It might be her mother telling her the baby isn't getting enough, when in reality that's not true.''
The best indication that the baby is getting enough, Adkins said, is to count it's wet and dirty diapers.
Once a woman's milk comes in, a breast-fed baby should have six to eight wet diapers a day, and regular, frequent bowel movements, often three or four a day.
``My daughter is 4 months and I had to start supplementing at 5 weeks. At 12 weeks, I decided it was a lot easier to have her drink out of the bottle. I would have liked to continue, but I didn't have the support or know what to do.''
Adkins says she would refer this mother to La Leche League, an international breast-feeding support group with several local chapters, or to a lactation consultant. Most health departments also have breast-feeding support groups.
``I didn't attempt breast-feeding because I was taking medicine that I was afraid would get into his system.''
Women should consult with their doctors about any medications they're taking, Adkins says. Sometimes the doctor may be able to switch medications to one that won't harm the baby.
``I didn't try breast-feeding because my aunt had breast-fed and her (breasts) looked very terrible and hung down to her lap, and I didn't want my breasts to look like that.''
``During pregnancy, your breasts do increase in size,'' Adkins says.
``But breast-feeding has not been shown to increase that or make it noticeable.''
``Like a lot of women, I thought my breasts were too little.''
``The size of the breasts have absolutely nothing to do with breast-feeding,'' Adkins says.
``I breast-fed my baby for a month. One reason I stopped was because I didn't have enough time. I had to return to work.''
Many women assume they can't continue breast-feeding after they return to work.
One problem is where to pump their milk. Few employers offer a suitable private place to pump. Some women wind up pumping in a toilet stall, which, says one who called, is paramount to ``making your baby's lunch in the toilet.''
Others feel they can't get enough time off from work to pump.
But Adkins notes that with the efficient, double-barreled electric pumps, which most hospitals rent by the day or month, women need only 15 minutes twice a day to pump enough milk to feed their babies when they're not available. The expressed milk can be kept in a plastic cooler for up to eight hours and then frozen for future use.
``I tried breast-feeding my first child 29 years ago, but I have an inverted nipple. With the second I didn't even try.''
``Inverted,'' or concave, nipples make it difficult for the baby to latch on. But the problem can be corrected, Adkins says.
A woman can wear a nipple shield during the last couple of months of pregnancy. This plastic disk has a hole cut in the middle through which the nipple protrudes. A dome-shaped cap then snaps into place over the nipple, so the bra doesn't push it in and so it has air circulation.
Gradually, the device works to break the small skin adhesions that can cause the nipple to be flat or inverted, helping it to protrude.
``When I was breast-feeding, the attitude of people was really nasty. When you'd go into a restaurant and feed your baby, people would want me to go into the bathroom to do it. I'd say, `Take your dinner in there and join me.' ''
``It's very much a part of our society that we feel uncomfortable baring our breasts,'' Adkins says.
She suggests using a blanket thrown over one shoulder to conceal exposed skin. Keeping the baby in a cloth sling provides a discreet way to breast-feed in public.
Several states - including Virginia - have recently passed laws protecting a woman's right to breast-feed in public. by CNB