Cholostrum/breastmilk as eye treatment

Betty_SPN_KS, LPN · May 2, 2004

Me too! Yea for homebirth! :balloons:
I have a lot of mama's in my circle of friends that use it for everything...burns, ear infections, cuts and scrapes..... :)

lol. I never thought or heard of that, but I used it for sore nipples.

TinyNurse, RN · May 2, 2004

yay betty and nurse underwater!!! I also homebirthed and this worked well for the healing of a piercing i had done.

The resource you are looking for is in a small pink paperback book. ( my sister has mine now cuz she is preg.) Something like wisewomans wisdom something like that.

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · May 2, 2004

Originally Posted by L&D_RN_OH

. I had planned to transition at the bedside. To top it off, the baby's BS was 44 (not critical). This same nurse told Dad she was going to feed it even though I just told her it was a breast baby. Luckily, Dad told her no, mom wants to bf. Baby nursed. She checked the sugar 20min later (40min sooner than the protocol states). When the baby's sugar was 37, she ended up giving it formula anyway. Of course, 30min later the BS was 56. But was that because of the 30 cc of formula, or the 20min of nursing?

I've had problems with this nurse before, feeding my breast babies for borderline sugars, w/o talking to the parents first.

__________________________

What do you call hypoglycemia, if 37 is considered borderline? Were these Accuchek/PCX/One touch done on the floor, or correlating blood glucoses done in the lab.

What does your protocol say about feedings? I would much rather give a formula feeding to get the baby over the hump, and then send it out to mother baby care. The other option is let it sink on the floor, and come to us to be fed/IV started in a few hours. We only see the c/s babies from delivery, ones on m/b care come to us later.

MishlB · May 2, 2004

Most of our pts don't protest it. So when they do, the NSY has a fit. I think thsi couple that requested no treatment, were planning the breastmilk as an alternative, since they knew the anitbiotic ointment is "required". But the NSY nurse made such a big deal about it, they gave in.
it wasn't just that, with this particular couple. They wanted to postpone the bath, but the NSY RN presented it to Dad in such a way that he thought the baby could not come out to Mom w/o a bath so he gave in to that too. The baby was only in theNSY because it was tachypnic. I had planned to transition at the bedside. To top it off, the baby's BS was 44 (not critical). This same nurse told Dad she was going to feed it even though I just told her it was a breast baby. Luckily, Dad told her no, mom wants to bf. Baby nursed. She checked the sugar 20min later (40min sooner than the protocol states). When the baby's sugar was 37, she ended up giving it formula anyway. :angryfire Of course, 30min later the BS was 56. But was that because of the 30 cc of formula, or the 20min of nursing?
I've had problems with this nurse before, feeding my breast babies for borderline sugars, w/o talking to the parents first.

So at what point would you feed a baby? 44 is pretty low, and I would have probably syringe fed formula. Have seen many babies drop because parents don't feed baby as they should. They can still BF, not the end of the world.

SmilingBluEyes · May 2, 2004

When sugars are borderline as in above cases ( not critically low), I discuss cup-feeding the infant formula WITH THE PARENTS first. I never stick a syringe or nipple in the mouth of a breastfed baby without parents' collaboration and understanding.

And the baby is ALWAYS given a chance to nurse FIRST--- then cup-feed in these cases. Now, where blood sugars are worsening, of course, we have a sense of urgency to the situation BUT still, 99.9% of parents are 100% cooperative WHEN we explain RESPECTFULLY and CLEARLY why we would like to supplement the baby (a biggie in avoiding IV's in some cases).

I think it's about communicating openly with these parents, keeping them in the loop at ALL times, listening to them voice concerns and answering any questions they have early-on. I have found, it's easy to elicit cooperation when things are done collaboratively and respectfully. We are on the SAME team, the parents and us. We ALL want is best for the babies!

L&D_RN_OH · May 3, 2004

What do you call hypoglycemia, if 37 is considered borderline? Were these Accuchek/PCX/One touch done on the floor, or correlating blood glucoses done in the lab.
What does your protocol say about feedings?

I said 44 was borderline. 37 was low, and fell into our protocol. The intial BS did not which is when the nurse TOLD the father she was going to give it formula despite that it was a breast baby, and that she didn't ASK! These were accuchecks done on the floor.

Our protocol states if the BS is 20-40, the baby nurses if breastfeeding or is given formula if botte fed, then the BS is rechecked 1 HOUR later. This nurse checked it 20 min later. IMO, it was too early for the feed to make a change in the BS result. Less than 20, they get D10.

L&D_RN_OH · May 3, 2004

So at what point would you feed a baby? 44 is pretty low, and I would have probably syringe fed formula. Have seen many babies drop because parents don't feed baby as they should. They can still BF, not the end of the world.

At 44 the baby was going to nurse. Would you give formula to a breast baby if the BS was 44, w/o talking to the parent? That is my issue here.

And yes, they can still bf. One bottle is not the end of the world, but it could lead to the end of a breastfeeding relationship. It's nice that you take the extra time to syringe feed. We do have a policy for finger feeding breast fed babies. Unfortunately, the NSY staff never follows it and always uses bottles.

SmilingBluEyes · May 3, 2004

Carla, quick question. Do your PEDIATRICIANS SUPPORT BREASTFEEDING and IF SO, can you possibly elicit THEIR help in getting nursery staff to stop their antiquated and potentially harmful practices? It's worth a try.

SmilingBluEyes · May 3, 2004

at 44, a baby would nurse here, too. 44 is NOT considered hypoglycemic where I work, but DOES bear watching. NO bottles would come out unless sugars dropped a bit more. And then, again, with the UNDERSTANDING and CONSENT of parents, only, would this be done. THEY have RIGHT to a say in how their babies are fed, after being educated as to rationales for our interventions.

This nursery staff at your hospital, Carla, is outright disrespectful ---if you ask me. :angryfire

L&D_RN_OH · May 3, 2004

This nursery staff at your hospital, Carla, is outright disrespectful ---if you ask me. :angryfire

Completely agreed. Actually, it is really just this one particular nurse. And yes, I think most of the pedis are supportive of BF, although I have seen a few order baby's to have supplemental feeds after nursing, for reasons not obvious to me.

We have had several breastfeeding inservices, we have a huge info board about bf and the WHO, we have an excellent LC who has talked to this nurse on more than one occassion about not allowing bottles for BF babies. This last incident was written up by the director of women's services. Hopefully, that will make a difference.

:uhoh21:

nurseunderwater · May 3, 2004

yay betty and nurse underwater!!! I also homebirthed and this worked well for the healing of a piercing i had done.
The resource you are looking for is in a small pink paperback book. ( my sister has mine now cuz she is preg.) Something like wisewomans wisdom something like that.

Susan Weed - Herbal for the Childbearing Year

mitchsmom · May 3, 2004

Susan Weed - Herbal for the Childbearing Year

Along those same lines is a new book called The Nursing Mother's Herbal by Sheila Humphrey. I have heard excellent things about it and it's only $11.87 at amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1577491181/qid=1083601458/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-3978471-6020764?v=glance&s=books