Had one case that I wanted to bring up as an example of why we need to be 
careful not to generalize.

I was helping a mom attach her baby for the first time - and baby was
releasing a lot of mucus from the nose.  As there was a c-birth involved, I
at first assumed this was the typical stomach-full-of mucus baby.  However,
as it continued, I brought it up to the staff´s attention.  Tests revealed
baby had an incomplete esophagus and the mucus was the saliva mixed with
some colostrum which wasn´t going down - but up.  Never had any respiratory
distress or problems as the liquid didn´t go to the lungs - but up the
nose.  

Even though MOST of our babies are normal and healthy - we can´t assume
they all are.  And our observations may be the first that can point out a
problem before it gets the baby in trouble.  

I´ve been able to ¨find¨ two babies with heart problems and two others with
mayor gastrointestinal anomalies just by reporting my observations.  We
must always remember we are part of the health care team.

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC, LLLL
Puerto Rico
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