Bonding

First Steps

1. Even though it is impossible, try to take care of yourself.
2. If the baby is in the NICU, as much as possible try to hold the baby and rock the baby and provide skin-to-skin contact for the baby. We constantly talked to, and sung to, our baby when he was in the NICU.
3. It is very difficult to breast feed a PWS baby. Nonetheless, if you are the breast feeding type, consider putting the baby to the breast for 5 or more minutes before each feeding.
4. Hold the baby as much as possible.
5. Let the baby see human faces and hear human voices as much as possible.
6. Consider bathing with the baby.
7. Make "nests" for the baby in every room and include the baby in all activities.

Breast Feeding

It is very difficult to breast feed a PWS baby. I was not successful. I tried to recreate the breast feeding experience for my baby as much as possible. I consider breast feeding a multisensorial experience for the baby

• Pump - as long as you can stand to pump, do it. Pumping provides the baby with important nutrients that are not available in formula. Perhaps the most important of these is the antibodies to protect against infectious disease. This is especially important because PWS babies are vulnerable to respiratory tract infections.
• Baby to breast - as much as you can put the baby to the breast. The advantages of this is that the baby smells you and gets the skin to skin contact. Also, it can be a peaceful and bonding experience for baby and mother.
• Bathing - for me, bathing with the baby created a relaxing time for me to be with the baby and accept the baby where he was. I was not working on feeding him, I was just accepting him and accepting me. The other advantage is that this time provided skin-to-skin contact for the baby that I believe helped him and helped my milk production.
• Lactation consultant - I believe whole heartedly in lactation consultants. They are wonderful and can be miracle workers. I think that you should balance their enthusiasm with the need to accept the baby where he is.