I have permission from mom to post:
 
Baby is 12 months old and diagnosed months ago as FTT.  I have been  "aware" 
of whats going on from a distance, but not involved in this dyad, until  today 
when the mother and baby came to see me.
 
Mom has 8 yr old daughter that is autistic.  She breastfed x  2yrs.
2nd baby born 12 months ago:  fullterm, healthy!   At 5  weeks of age mom 
came to see me with concerns.  Baby was "staying" at the  breast, but not 
gaining.  Test weights showed that baby was not  transferring any milk.  But baby was 
content at the breast.  Fussy off  the breast.  (Mom stated that she had lots 
of milk in the early days; then  milk decreased.)
 
At that visit at 5 weeks I urged mom to supplement food source, work on  
increasing milk supply, and see OT or some other specialist on "why" baby was  not 
transferring milk.   We offered baby bottle of EBM during that  visit, but 
baby refused all bottles!!!
 
Over the next couple weeks and months I "heard" that baby had undergone  "all 
kinds of GI" testing.  Baby had been admitted to hospital.  After  a week of 
tests, nothing showed up.
 
Baby is now 12 months old and mom says pediatrician says mom is "starving  
baby and killing brain cells."   Ped insist on inserting feeding  tube.  Ped 
said "no more nursing."  States "because she is  snacking at the breast during 
the day and night, she doesn't want to eat  foods.  Ped feels if mom stopped 
bfing baby would eat.  Baby  is seeing speech tx and nutritionalist for "sensory 
problems." x  months.   Mom states baby is "picky" about what she puts in her  
mouth.  Likes "crunchy"; will not eat "mushy."  
 
 Mom came to me very upset. 
Baby is now 15 lbs (just double birth wgt).  She is bright and  alert.  She 
uses sign language to communicate w/ mom, plus she has  vocabulary of about 6 
words.  She RUNS around the room.  Her coloring  is great.  She looks 
wonderful; just small.
 
I gave mom Medela scale to take home with her for a few days to check  intake 
at the breast.  My feeling is baby has never transferred much milk  and milk 
supply fell to almost nothing.   I feel baby nurses for  comfort and that this 
does not interfere with baby eating other foods.
 
Mom REALLY wants to continue breastfeeding and working at getting anything  
and everything possible into baby.  I remember hearing that zinc deficiency  
could be a cause of low appetite.  Is that something worth looking  into?  What 
else can I tell this mom?
 
                 Loretta Haycook, RN, IBCLC
                 Neptune Beach, FL

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