Echoing Laurie Wheeler about this baby - my chin dropped on reading
that they hope to get baby evaluated within 2 weeks rather than 2
hours.  Not tp scare tje wits out of mother or anything, but this baby
has not gained appreciably since birth and is cyanotic on exertion.
The GI stuff is most likely secondary to poor perfusion of the
capillary bed in the gut, because of the heart's inability to keep the
baby supplied with OXYGEN. Digestion depends on the gut being in shape
to do its job. That means a well-perfused gut mucosa, which will not
be there until baby is able to keep itself at normal oxygen saturation
levels.  Baby is very unlikely to be able to fix this before the
cardiac defect is treated, and postponing that will only worsen
matters. Baby needs more nourishment and is probably unable to
accomplish that at the breast before the cardiac defect is fixed.
Every day that goes by means the baby will be further away from being
well nourished when surgery is done, not a desirable outcome at all.

If it is possible for you as lactation consultant to bring any of
these issues up with the doc, then do so. If not, support mother as
she does so. Sounds like she needs to confront them, unfortunately.

Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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