I saw a mom of a 3 week old in my office last week-mom unable to keep
baby latched to her rounded breasts with one flat nipple, baby 1 pound over
birthweight at 3 weeks! Had received total of 12 oz formula since birth (most
of that in the first 3 days). After showing mom how to shape the breast using
a U hold, baby latched and stayed on. (I believe baby was too sleepy to do
much in the hospital but someone should have been able to help her with this
earlier than 3 weeks. It was a simple solution for someone experienced with
latching but this mother was home struggling for all this time). My question
is how and to whom I should approach regarding the fact that she was
discharged from the hospital at 3 days post c-section with a baby who was not
latching. Baby had lost 12% (mom was told this was normal), not latching, was
cup feeding, mom pumping at hospital but was not told she really needed to
get a good pump (wont mention what she bought and used), did not see ped
until 2 weeks of age. Now, mom says 2 LC's saw her in the hospital but I am
almost positive noone at that hospital is IBCLC. She received no follow-up
call. Mom saw a different ped than she used in the hospital. This information
is gathered from the mom only.
     Where I work, this mom would have been told to see a ped in 2 days. I
would have encouraged her to rent a pump immediately, call me the next day,
come back to see me. Thank goodness she had a good outcome but this is the
kind of situation that would make the New York Times front page, am I right?
    I am new to my area but the head nurse at the hospital and the MD who say
the baby at the hospital both have recently met me and have my brochures
(aware that home visits, pumps, etc are available and have told me their moms
need this kind of help). They have also told me they are worried about
"stepping on someone's toes" at the hospital by giving out my name as a
resource. The way I see it is that if the hospital has someone able to do real
 consults (not nurse time but LC time and can follow-up,etc) I think that is
great, but if they don't, the moms need to know call if help is needed after
discharge.
    I want advice of how to best handle this. This is disturbing to me as I
am here and want to be able to help moms in my area. I don't want to
allienate this hospital or MD......I want their referrals, especially if they
don't have a LC.
    Thanks for your help.
 Kris Wiedman RN IBCLC