I am feeling equally frustrated this week ( I think Dairy Queen in
hiring ;-) Maybe Ill apply..

We have a neighboring hospital that gives out the worst bf advise ever ,
moms in the area have found out about me and I get a lot of calls from
them, some even call me while they are still in the hospital,  this puts
me in a hard position ethically.  2 of the peds in the area also refer
patients to me on a regular basis.

This past week a mom called her babe was 48 hours old (her mom is a
retired LLL leader and the mom told me that the nurses had convinced the
ped that the baby was dehydrated and the ped told her either to give the
baby bottles of formula or he would have to start and IV, she chose
formula. She has flat nipples, one nurse told her that if baby didn't
get glucose water he would be brain damaged another nurse told her,
after she had called me and asked for help, and I suggested if she HAD
to supplement use a syringe, that the baby would totally lose the
sucking urge if she didn't give him a bottle, the nurses and ped told
her that there was no such thing as nipple confusion! Mom had out pt
appt with me and she was crying and very frustrated, baby would not
latch at the breast at all without a nipple shield. The hospital gave
her the old brown type and she subsequently purchase the silicone type
and had used that, was also pumping with a mini electric and feeding
baby in bottle.  Baby's weight was just a few ounces under birth weight,
did a rewiegh after him feeding for 20 min q breast with the shield and
he gained almost 2 ounces.  Tried baby at the breast with SNS and it was
a no go, baby screamed cried arched refused. Would nurse with shield but
go occasionally frustrated but would re latch.  Talked to mom yesterday,
he hubby was at the store at that time buying the PNS. She said baby was
feeding constantly with the shield and she had given him 2 bottles of
pumped milk during the night due to exhaustion and baby slept after
that.

I will talk again to her on Fri. From my assessment , this baby is
nipple confused. I looked nipple confusion in Auerbachs and Riordans new
book and couldnt find anything on it, is it in there. Wanted something
to send the doc. Gave mom 2 copies of the LLL handout, she will give one
to the doc.

I am at a loss as to what else to tell her, I also taught her finger
feeding but dad was opposed to that so she didn't do it. Her mom has
gone home , put her in contact with 2 LLL groups, told her about
rebirthing the baby in the tub. Told her to be patient, and relax, easy
to say hard to do. She really wants this to work but is frustrated about
the whole situation and she knows this probably could of been avoided
with initial support in the hospital. She is going to discuss it with
her ped and I also enc. her to write a letter to the help head and the
CEO of the hosp she delivered at, I tell ALL the pts that del at that
hosp to do the same.

I am so FRUSTRATED I could scream.  How do I deal with this blatant mis
information that is consistently given out at this other hospital and
what else can I do to help this poor mom.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks

Cindy

--
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Cindy Curtis , RN, IBCLC  ~ Virginia , USA
ICQ # 412812          mailto:[log in to unmask]
Benefits of Breastfeeding Home Page http://www.erols.com/cindyrn