Hi all,
I need a little backup on this one.
Baby 8 weeks old. First 7 weeks baby gaining well with bf only. Usual telephone consult at beginning after birth re frequency and general info. Last week she called me to say that baby was pushing away from one side and starting to be fussy at the the other. I asked the usual questions re stuffed nose, general well-being, she finally said that she had been treated for thrush but stopped treatment after she saw that the thrush had cleared. I recommended she keep using the Daktarin oral gel and Daktarin on nipples (which is what the dr. recommended) til at least a week after no signs evident.

She called me today to say that her baby has been in hospital hooked up to IV fluids for a week now. The mom says the baby started having green stools, at the beginning with substance and by the next day just green water which went through all the baby's clothes. She described it as diarrhea. She called in a doctor who said that if it persists, she should go to the children's hospital the following day, which she did.
They said the baby was dehydrated. and started IV fluids.

At first they kept her bf. Then the baby proceeded to lost weight.  They started baby on Nutromagen 1/2 diluted. Baby still lost weight. They told mom to go over to Nutromagen not diluted. Mom can see the baby is agitated by this. Mom is pumping and trying to keep her supply up. The med. staff took her off Nutro. and put her on 1/2 diluted Progestimil. Baby is still emitting water (stools) and today after a week has gained 20 grams. They are starting her on Progestimil undiluted tomorrow. Mom isn't too happy about this. None of the drs. have told her exactly what the problem is. They tell her that there maybe something in bf that the baby cannot break down so they are trying the other ABM's. 

Now, I have had 0 hours in Med school, and 0 hours in nursing school, but something in my gut (not to mention all my LC training and reading) is telling me this baby should be back on the breast and fast!!! After consulting a MD friend very knowledgable in BF and she in total agreement with me, I suggested to the Mom that tomorrow she owes it to herself to get some answers that make sense. She also doesn't understand why they are not advising bf. They say the baby may have a virus. Ok, so why not keep feeding the baby and enhancing her antibodies~especially at a time like this.!!!  She is just afraid that they are keeping something from her, which has her terrified! So I told her, if this is the case, she must speak to the Head MD and get her answers and then make her decision to push to get the baby back on the breast.

Anyone hear anything like this? We have bounced postings back and forth re green stools, from lack of fatty hind = milk, to changes in Mom's diet. Are they also an indication of dehydration? The mom insists that the baby had enough wet nappies per day. (BTW, this is baby #4!!)
thanks.
Ellen Shein, IBCLC

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