interesting information

[@llli*mer.mer]

My DS was 36wks and I'm a SLP trying to get to work in our NICU. My co-worker is awesome though and is the only person besides DH i feel like gets my parenting style. Anyways i digress. Here is the info:

“Feed Me Only When I’m Cueing: Moving Away From a Volume-Driven Culture in the NICU” published in the May-June 2012 issue of Neonatal Intensive Care –The Journal of Perinatology-Neonatology.

Abstract: The adverse feeding outcomes of NICU graduates and their enduring feeding problems suggest a need to critically look at “the culture of feeding” in the NICU. It is a pivotal factor in how the preterm experiences feeding , how parents develop their working model of the feeding relationship, and how the NICU team communicates about, and attempts to support, feeding skills needed for discharge to home. These cultural underpinnings can affect caregiving, both adversely and positively, and, therefore, the emergence of safe and successful feeding and swallowing. An “infant-driven” culture of feeding (Ludwig & Waitzman, 2007) embraces the infant as a co-regulatory partner. A more traditional “volume-driven” feeding culture focuses on emptying the bottle. An Infant-driven culture is suggested as essential for a true cue-based feeding approach, which optimally supports the preterm infant’s developmental strivings and long-term well-being.

Click on this link for the full article: http://www.nicmag.ca/pdf/NIC-25-3-MJ12-R4-web.pdf

C. Shaker is VERY well known SLP in the dysphagia/feeding arena. The link is for the whole magazine I think this article is on pg 19 or something fairly far into the mag. (ignore the formula ads )

& this article about starting feedings sooner and weaning tube feedings

[@llli*kst.7399]

It's too late and that link is too long, but I agree it needs to be addressed. My daughter was a 33 week preemie with major feedin problems. I believe she would have left the NICU a week earlier, had it not been for feeding problems. First, she threw up every meal that contained anything artificial. So I begged them to discontinue extra calories. Then I felt they were over feeding and had it set too quickly. They couldn't figure out why she would vomit so much up and had weight gain issues. Again, it took several days for them to believe me that she just needed less and to have it given at a slower pace - tube fed. Once they did that she finally started gaining weight. I was shocked that an institution that fed babies all day every day couldn't comprehend that babies aren't a pattern. They are all different and there is no 'formula' - pun intended. I hope they really look at it and make some changes to the standards.

[@llli*browncow]

Interesting! I'll have to find a computer to read the article. My MIL is a NICU nurse (who braestfed her kids) and we've had several discussions about how ignorant (?not quite the word I'm looking for but I can't think of anything else at the moment) some of the feeding practices are in the NICU.

[@llli*scienceteachermommy]

This fits with what I have read about a push to move toward more cue-based feeding when bottle feeding as well.