I saw a mother with a 3 week old baby. She reported that she was formula
feeding because her breast milk made the baby  "very sick". I asked what
made her think that and she replied that he ahd been exclusively breastfed,
no problems,baby loved the breast, they were both happy etc until he started
having "diarrhea" at 4-5 days of age. After 3 days of "diarrhea", she took
him to the Emergeny Department of our local hospital.  This is a very low
income (none), high risk, unmarried, Spanish speaking, scared 17 year old
mother who was really happy about breastfeeding her baby. The physician at
the hospital noted a history of 6-7 runny stools per day for 3 days, did
blood tests (CBC & bilirubin) and diagnosed:
1. Hyperbilrubinemia (bili 10.8)
2. Formula Intolerance!!!!! (remember this is an exclusively breastfed baby
at this point)

Treatment included him telling the mother her milk was making her baby sick
and giving him "yellow blood" and insisting on immediate weaning to find a
"formula" more compatible with the baby!!!!!
No signs of dehydration, 15 ounce weight gain in less than a week of
exclusively breastfeeding, no lethargy. no distress, no assessment of the
risks of artificial formula, no reassurance that baby was ok, no attempt to
salvage even partial breastfeeding, no knowledge that frequent, runny stools
are normal for a baby,

Ugh- another episode of sacrificing breastfeeding on the altar of ignorance.

Unfortunately, I didn't believe the mother's story, so I got this
information from hospital records we requested........I am so angry! CAthy