Hi Linda!

What a difficult situation you must be in right now. I don't have THE
answer for you either, but: I think that this is one of those questions
that are not 'up to us' to answer. By 'us' I mean Lactation consultants.
Perhaps it's an idea to tell this mother that we are not qualified to
answer questions like that, we're no brain specialists ! In my opinion you
gave her a very good answer by saying that getting breastmilk in her baby
was the best thing she could do right now.
I would also have referred her to a more knowledgeable person in these
matters (like the baby's physician, or GP, who could refer her further, if
necessary).

But again, I think you've handled this situation well within your 'scope of
practice'.

Renate RIetveld, IBCLC
Rijswijk, The Netherlands

At 23:53 17-9-00 -0700, you wrote:
  Then
>came the question....Mom wanted to know if the feeding problems/dehydration
>caused brain damage to her child.  I told her that getting breast milk in
>the baby was the best thing she could do for this baby right now.  She was
>insistent that I answer the question if there could have been brain damage.
>I side-stepped repeatedly because I did not know.  Is this a question with
>an answer?
>


--------------------------------------------------------------
Renate Rietveld, IBCLC
E-mail  : [log in to unmask]
Homepage: http://www.casema.net/~rietveld/index.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html