>To: [log in to unmask]

>Salon Magazine:
>
>I read your article "Nursed to death" on your website today.  This case
>seems very complex but apparently the jury found the mother negligent and
>largely responsible for the baby's death.
>However, I think you are stretching things by blaming breastfeeding with a
>"shoot the messenger" kind of reaction.  Surely you realize that
>bottlefeeding babies die too, for various reasons.  Mothers mix their
>formula improperly, or it is manufactured improperly, or the babies are not
>fed often enough.  The instructions for bottle feeding properly are lengthy
>too.  The number of feedings and the dirty diapers need to be monitored
>just as with breastfeeding.
>
>Your article told about what we in the health care field call "red flags."
>Lots of these red flags should have been waving at the health care
>providers: breast reduction surgery, 12 percent weight loss, disruption of
>breastfeeding x 10 days in the critical early weeks of building a milk
>supply, and with no provision for supporting that milk supply (e.g. with
>pumping) during the period of no breastfeeding.  When the baby went back on
>the breast, I imagine the milk supply was very low at that point.
>>snip
In any case, the mother should have been in contact with a lactation
consultant (LC).  An LC should always be board certified (IBCLC).  Our no. 1
rule is "feed the baby" and we are quick to recommend supplementation when
that is warranted, as was in this case.  An LC would have looked for the
"red flags" and a whole set of indicators, which are obvious during the
first few days, and would quickly intervene to feed the baby, while at the
same time working on improving the breastfeeding to its optimal level, even
if supplementation were needed long-term.
>snip
>Unfortunately, not all doctors and nurses know how to evaluate and manage
>breastfeeding. snip   I still get calls from worried moms whose babies are
>not feeding,  stooling, or gaining  well after the 2 week doctor visit.
>They tell me that the doctor or nurse is not concerned and has advised them
>to continue to do whatever they are already doing, to give it a little more
>time.  Sometimes this is appropriate when the baby is feeding well and is
>just a little under desired weight. But more often this is dangerous advice
>when no one has been consulted to see if baby is indeed feeding well.
>
>I totally disagree with your opinion that "Tabitha Walrond -- like all new
>moms today -- was under considerable pressure to breast-feed..."  On the
>contrary, I see formula pushed like crazy on all moms by doctors, nurses,
>and formula reps and I see breastfeeding mismanaged and sabotaged every
>day.   Health care providers are supposed to be reporting new findings and
>making recommendations based on them. To do anything else would be
>unethical.  Why would you dilute the importance of new breastfeeding
>recommendations by saying "the breast-is-best philosophy [is] peddled by
>many hospitals as if bottle-feeding were tantamount to child abuse."  You
>wouldn't want health care providers to stop giving advice about the dangers
>of smoking and drinking during pregnancy, or the use of car seats, or
>putting babies on their backs to sleep.
>
>Thanks for reporting on all facets of this very sad story.  Please be fair
>and don't imply that bottle feeding is the cure all.  And please don't
>blame the messenger.
>
>Laurie Wheeler, RN, MN, IBCLC - probably won't be published but this is
>just too important and I couldn't make this any shorter, even had to snip
>some for lactnet.




_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

             ***********************************************
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