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Date: | Mon, 24 Mar 1997 08:51:27 -0600 |
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I think we (as LCs) need to be cautious asking for information on shared
"diagnoses" in the case of any baby. We are not MDs, do not diagnose, and
when we use terms like that, we risk our reputation with other health
professionals, who tend to get very nervous when they contemplate others
practicing medicine without a license.
That having been said, the most common reason for an infant that young to
not stool is insufficient caloric intake. The second would be some sort of
bowel blockage. It would be vitally important to get a weight check on an
accurate scale and arrange for medical evaluation to rule out # 1 and 2
reasons. Occasionally in the past 18 years I have seen a baby who was
growing well and happily who had an unusual (ie scant) stooling pattern in
the first 6 weeks or so of life. But mostly when this happens the problem is
starvation. It is certainly possible for a mother to nurse "all the time"
and for the baby to be unable or unwilling to actually eat. Someone needs
to watch a feed, try some test weights, do a health history of mom and
review the birth events, etc. That would be an appropriate job for an LC.
Barbara
Barbara Wilson-Clay, BS, IBCLC
Private Practice, Austin, Texas
Owner, Lactnews On-Line Conference Page
http://moontower.com/bwc/lactnews.html
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