Hi!  I wanted to post a question asking if anyone has had any issues with
physicians regarding diagnosing a tight frenulum?  It seems that this issue
has "reared its ugly head a few times" on our floor at the hospital.

Here's what has happened:  A mother is reported to have severely damaged
nipples and baby is at the breast "all the time".  So, as a good hospital
LC, you check latch, check the oral anatomy, and find that the baby has a
tight frenulum and can't maintain a latch, nor milk the breast.  You explain
the problem to the mother.  The mother asks what can be done?

What is your response?  We have now all been told that we are not to discuss
with the parents anything about having a frenotomy done, nor even tell them
the problem until the pediatrician has been consulted. We were told that we
cannot "diagnose" this since we are not doctors.

I am curious as to how other LCs have handled a similar situation?  Is
telling a mother this may cause a feeding problem, "diagnosing"?

Just curious.

Connie Chiavario, IBCLC
Rush Copley Medical Center
Aurora, IL

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