Wise Women of Lactnet -
I have an odd one today.  A nurse called me this morning re a 4 week old
infant.  Baby was fine on initial exam, was discharged breastfeeding
successfully.  Baby bf fine for first three days of life.  Then baby began
having difficulty.  Would go on breast, then slip off, would have trouble
latching back on.  Mom then noticed a growth under tongue.  Took baby to
doctor who diagnosed possible lymphatic malformation or lymph angioma.  Under
advice of LC in doctor's office baby was finger fed for next ten days, but
mom didn't like it and switched to bottle feeding expressed br milk.
Baby is now almost 4 weeks old.  Mom is still pumping and feeding with
bottle.  Baby will occasionally take one breast, but not the other and is
constantly sliding off and needing to be reattached during a feeding.  The
growth is now approx 1 cm.  Tongue is deviated to the side because of it.
 Physician does not want to operate to remove it.  Feels that 1) baby is too
young and 2) growth will probably only recur causing multiple operations to
remove as it grows back.  Told mom that surgery will not make the baby nurse
better because tongue would be too painful.  Wants to wait til child is at
least 12 *years* old!
I have not seen this baby and probably will not be able to, since they live
an hour from me and are already in the care of another LC.  Nurse is
interested in additional information about successfully bf a baby with these
types of growths under the tongue.  Mother still wants to bf, but is feeling
very overwhelmed and frustrated.  Anyone had any experiance with this type of
growth?
TIA!
Cynthia D. Payne
LLL of Berkshire County Massachusetts