"Can the CLE manage a cleft palate Down's syndrom baby?"
Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb here and probably get in trouble, but...
I've been a LLL Leader for 21 years now. (Yes, I had my children very
young.) When I had my first baby, he was the only breastfed baby in the
hospital nursery, so that gives you some idea of the times, and the quality
of breastfeeding info available. I was a lone LLL Leader, and I got 40 to 50
calls per week from mothers wanting help with breastfeeding. The nurses at
the hospital would call and ask me to come in (my baby in a sling and my
toddler trailing behind me) to help mothers with problems.
I was 22 years old at the time, no medical background, no certification
other than LLL. But all the same I worked with mothers whose babies had
Down's syndrome, cleft palates, were premature, had other rare syndromes or
problems, were adopted - all kinds of things.
When I was stuck, I contacted people in LLL for more info and more help.
Sometimes it didn't work, but very often it did.
I didn't replace a doctor or other medical care in any way. But the truth is
that at that time I knew more about breastfeeding than any of the medical
people available in that community.
My point is that I wouldn't want a CLE (and I'm not even sure what that
stands for or means) to feel that they can't help the mother with a cleft
palate Down's syndrome baby. Not to take over the doctor's role - but it
seems to me that if you have some background and training in breastfeeding,
you probably know more than most doctors. (Most, not all, Jack.) So why not
provide your help and expertise? Sure if an IBCLC is available, wonderful,
or if someone with more direct experience with that situation is available,
that's great, too - but I'd hate to see someone end up getting NO help with
breastfeeding because a person didn't feel sufficiently qualified.
Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario
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