I am a LLL leader and a group member is helping a friend of
hers, I'll call her Sue, who is breastfeeding her third child.
Sue isn't interested in help from me so she doesn't know that I
know anything.  The baby is 5 weeks old and has lost 13 ounces.
I haven't the time to go into great detail, but because of
problems with her first child and the progression of this one we
suspect munchausen's syndrome by proxy, a form of child abuse in
which an adult makes a child ill, and get's something out of
it.
We don't know if sue should be confronted by her friend or if
the doctor should be told of our suspicion. I heard that it
might be treatable with medication for the mother.
 The baby had lost 9 ounces since birth at it's four week appt.
and the doctor was not overly concerned and was satisfied that
Sue said she would not use the pacifier and would nurse more
often.  He scheduled an appt. for one week later at which, as
you already know the baby was found to have lost 4 more ounces.
The doctor was again satisfied to reccomend supplementing and
see the mom in another whole week.  So that's where he stands so
far.
Anyone got ideas on how we should approach her or the doctor?
- Joyce Mitchell