Sunday, September 14, 2008

MAD

I am livid!!!!
I don't know when I've been more angry, disappointed, frustrated!
I wasn't at the NICU this morning and afternoon because I was at church then I took a nap.

I called when I woke up only to find out that they had given Emily a bottle!
We very explicitly told a number of people in the NICU during her first weeks that we do NOT want her to have the bottle because we want her to exclusively breastfeed. It was devastating that Claire preferred the bottle to the breast and refused to nurse. I Do NOT want a repeat of this with Emily. Everything I've read says to give the breast for a few weeks first before the bottle in order to avoid this (At the very least). Other things I've read say that for some babies it only takes one time at the bottle to disrupt nursing.

My most recent conversation with the Doctor was about breastfeeding which she said we could start when Emily was a little bigger. She said nothing about the bottle. I guess I should have clarified our position. But it didn't occur to me at the time. I was still reeling about the decision to give her formula. and I am incensed that they would plow through with such a big step without involving the parents. The timing was most unfortunate. Emily supposedly gained over 100 grams last night which meant that suddenly she was eligible for "nippling" as they call it. I called the NICU this morning before church and the nurse was on break, so I didn't get to speak with her. I did hear about the weight gain from the other nurse. I expected it to take another 3 days for her to reach 1400 grams. I should have called again after church to speak with the nurse.

After I found out about the bottle I called and spoke to the doctor who said she would stop the bottle feeds. She doesn't want me to put her to the breast just yet because she wants to determine if Emily is tolerating the formula. AARRGGGHH!!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well dear, you know I would be livid, so I hear you 100%. Why didn't you decide to have your milk pasteurized at the milk bank?? I think I missed something there. I still think breast milk is the best thing in the world, and that they have stronger immune systems. I think I told you when Chelsea was given the bottle at Children's in Boston and then refused the breast for a while. I hung in and never had another bottle for the rest of her (or Alex's) lives!! Yikes! :) Thinking of you everyday, even when I'm turning my pots.
xoxoxoxo Linda

Kathy said...

Can you take the antibitoics for the staph too (cant believe I'm saying that) and lots of probiotics and colostrum and pump and dump until your breastmilk is *uncontaminated* ?
Worse case scenario is you have to pump milk into a bottle. But lets hope its doesnt come to that! We need to pray pray pray! Emily needs to get big and strong and COME HOME!!!