Hi all,

The LC at our hospital called me yesterday for some brainstorming, and I'll
admit, I was stumped.  Since it isn't my mom/baby, I've never seen them, but
thought I'd share it with youall and see what the collectively brilliant
minds in this group can come up with.  Baby (currently 10 days old) born with
a very swollen, purply looking tongue, but only on the left side.  Definite
demarcation in the midline, with the other half being normal.  Peds told mom
swelling was due to baby sucking his tongue in utero (???!!!), and that the
swelling would go down, but could take up to 6 weeks.  Meanwhile, baby can't
latch because tongue is so edematous it doesn't curl, and the swollen area
pushes the nipple out of his mouth.  LC saw mom again yesterday (who has been
putting baby to breast where he sort of "chews" - an up & down motion), but
essentially has no milk transfer.  She then pumps (though the peds told her
to stop, for some reason - at least that is what she understood him to say),
so the issue is building up milk supply as well.  She feeds him her milk in a
bottle and supplements with formula.  She didn't see much wrong in the
beginning so baby lost weight.  Tongue is still swollen,but not purple any
more.  Still can't latch on or curl tongue or hold breast in mouth without
chewing.  Bottle feeding takes up to 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Any ideas on what the
swelling is?  Should baby be referred to someone else -- ie ENT?  for eval.
of tongue?  The primary concern is the problem with the tongue rather than
the bf, even, as once the milk supply is back up, she can at least pump &
give her milk.

Ideas?

Jan B.