Dear Folks:
  I am seeing a baby tomorrow. He is three days old. Mom went into spontaneous
labor, received epidural and pitocin, baby was posterior and delivered via
vacuum (failed several attempts) and then forceps. Baby won't suck. Was
discharged yesterday.
  Now (this is the rant part) how can a major medical center discharge a baby
who has documented feeding difficulties? Who can't do the basic survival
activity of the newborn? How can the pediatric department, knowing that this
boy can't feed well, make the first follow-up appointment in TWO WEEKS. (you
bet I'm shouting!)
   This baby boy has been so hurt by the delivery and by the "screw the light
bulb in" technique of breastfeeding help that he can not do skin-to-skin care
without getting upset. Fortunately, he was not circumcised and I have asked
the parents to consider postponing the bris until he is breastfeeding well. I
will be starting cranio-sacral treatments tomorrow as well as all the basic
reattachment techniques of remedial co-bathing, co-sleeping, double pumping to
get him off breastmilk substitutes and onto mother's best. What a mess for
this family. I'll keep you posted. Warmly, Nikki