 Dr.
Jane Morton,
Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School
of Medicine, is an expert on nursing premature infants as well
as a
member of the Breastfeeding.com medical advisory board. Dr.
Morton has answered many of your breastfeeding questions.
Dr. Morton works one-on-one with new mothers at the
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University,
teaching moms how to breastfeed successfully. In 1997, Focus
Magazine named Dr. Morton one of the "Best Doctors in the
Bay Area," and she was again selected by her peers as one
of "Silicon Valley's Best Physicians" as reported in
The Sane Jose Magazine in 1999.
 I am diabetic, should I pump
immediately after birth?
| NAME: |
Michelle |
| BABY'S NAME: |
Kate/William |
| BABY'S AGE: |
due 9/2/00 |
I
am diabetic (onset in childhood), for the protection of the baby
he/she will be taken to the intensive care unit at the hospital
where I give birth. I do want to breastfeed. My question is what
should I do, should I pump and save the breast milk in that
first hour or so after birth, should I see if they will bring
the baby to me? What other things should I know/think about
before getting into this situation? Thanks!
Dear
Michelle,
A very good question. I'm sure you are well aware that
Kate/William will need to be followed for a low blood sugar, a
high hematocrit, and possibly a low calcium. These can easily be
managed medically. The more important question is how you can do
everything possible to make breastfeeding successful. I would
suggest that you begin pumping as soon after your delivery as
you can - at least 6 times on the first day and 8 times each day
thereafter, whether or not Kate/William is able to feed at the
breast. For babies with "nipple confusion" or
difficulty learning how to effectively use their mouth to
breastfeed, the single most helpful thing is having a mother
with a generous milk supply.
Kate/William sounds like she/he is your first baby. You might be
interested to know that if we took a sample of your breast
tissue (which we won't) at the end of your pregnancy and
compared it to a sample of breast tissue from another mother who
has previously successfully lactated and is now at the end of
her second pregnancy, what we would see under a microscope would
be quite different. The other mother would have much more highly
proliferated, differentiated breast tissue. She needs much less
of a "trigger" or stimulus to bring her milk in, and
her milk will probably come in sooner than with a primiparous
mother. The bottom line is, you need either Kate/William to
begin suckling early and frequently, or a good pump. In this
situation, I would use a rental grade, electric, double pump,
such as the Medela Classic (not even the Lactina, and certainly
not the Pump In Style). With this effort your milk should come
in nicely by 72 hours out, and your little one will have a much
easier time learning to nurse.
I have many diabetics in my practice (not just gestational
diabetics) who have breastfeed successfully. I know things can
go well for you. Good luck!
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