I wanted to share a case with everyone to remind  us that we should first do no harm when seeing patients and their new babies...

First a little background, I am a private practice LC that does only in home visits.  Nurse since 1992, IBCLC since 2001...


Mom 7 days post partem.  She was given a nipple shield in the hospital by the hospital LC for "tongue problems and flat nipples"  this client and her infant had neither...BUT now baby wont nurse without the shield and milk transfer is VERY low.  Mom is engorged, plugged ducts, sore nipples from baby biting, not gaping wide enough and bottom lip tucking under on occasion....  mom has baby in good position, tongue under breast, milk leaking EVERYWHERE! Mom is mindful and knowledgeable about breastfeeding, but discouraged, to say the least.

As you can imagine, this mom was in tears as she told me the story of how the hospital LC pushed the shield on her even though she didnt want to use it but she said "I figured she must know what she is talking about, she is the expert, what do I know?"  My heart broke!!  This mom so wants to breastfeed her baby and  she thinks she has "Ruined" her baby!

The hospital LC did a follow up phone call (as is the practice at the hospital she delivered  at) and the LC she spoke with was the same one she saw while in the hospital.  The LC  stood behind her claim of tongue tie and  advised the mother to seek an ENT!!!

On careful inspection of mom and infant, no tongue tie or flat nipples were observed, just a sad dyad who is really trying to pull things together.  I am hopeful that I never bully a client into doing things because I am the "expert."  At the end of the day, I am still the patient advocate, expert or no...

thanks for listening:)

Changing the World one Breastfed baby at a time!

                    Andrea Bass, RN,  IBCLC

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