What a nightmare! Please tell me I'm doing a good job!

[3girls2luv]

I just had a discussion with a pedi. Apparently he won't let this mom go home becuase her 5lb 6oz 3 day old baby will not take 30-40ml of formula at each feeding. Baby is nursing very well and has audible swallowing and everything. She has had 5 wet diapers and 3 dirty diaper since 6a this morning. Mom was told over the weekend to supplement because "her milk is not in yet and the baby won't get anything from the breast." Well she has been supplementing but after nursing for 20 min on left and 15 on right the baby will only take 10ml and 15 if she is forced. Now the pedi won't let her take the baby home and is calling her a "poor feeder with low birth wt." Dad is upset, he came to my office and asked me to talk to the pedi and I did but the pedi still refuses to discharge the baby and dad wants to leave AMA and pedi is now calling CPS! I can not believe this shit. I feel like a failure to the parents because I can not convince this doctor that the baby is getting enough at the breast, he said the wet and dirty diapers are irrelevant to the amount of feeding. I hope CPS does not come because I can smell a law suit from these parents. Why don't doctors know any better about bf? Its crap like this that just make me want to throw in the towel because I just can't win.

[KerryS]

Wow, that's pretty ridiculous. What kind of weight loss are we talking, from birth? Is this ped always like this?

[Hennyetta]

apparently this doctor knows nothing about colostrum? what a dork.

just do the best you can, thats all you can do anyway.

[Earthmama]

Praying for the family. I hope for a happy & healthy outcome - and a good, breastfeeding friendly, pediatrician.

[QuiltyConscience]

the doc is calling cps? Oh good grief. I'd be panicking thinking that cps could(needlessly) take the baby for months before they get it resolved, ruining the breastfeeding relationship and disrupting the family.

Perhaps the threat of a lawsuit would motivate the doc to learn a little more about breastfeeding. IDK. This is scary to me.

[Amy_G_]

can you weigh baby before and after a feeding to get some kind of weight gain, and add that to what baby takes of supplementation and hopefully get close enough to the 30ml?

document EVERYTHING for the baby and parents, and submit your own info to CPS even if they don't ask?

[Bohemian]

omg, that is horrible. Can she not fire this ped and get another for a second opinion? Surely there can't be 2 peds that are as dense as this.

[Sputterduck]

Have they asked for a second opinion?

[MrsKitty]

Omg second opinion. That is terrifying!

[Babyblue]

I think the parents need a second opinion, and is it possible to intervene with cps if you can?

also, this dr may not be willing to listen to reason or your good judgment, but he may be willing to listen to a lawsuit laid out in fount of him. I would also bring the possibility of a lawsuit up to the head of pediatrics. the hospital and that pediatrician have already lost a customer in this family, a lawsuit and handful of complaints is only going to add to their problems.

[PrincessEmilysMommy]

I can't believe that! That's horrible.

[lifeintheshwa]

Have you tried the "should have had a V8" smuck on the forehead for the pediatrician? What an idiot.

Tell them to get a second opinion, preferably from a doctor who has a clue.

And really what will CPS find? A kid who is being fed how s/he should be and is thriving?

(This is exactly why I loved having a home birth!)

[3girls2luv]

Baby has only lost 2oz since birth. I asked him if we could do pre and post wts. and he told me that I was being insubordinate (sp?) because I was questioning his orders. Right now the social worker is up here and we have documented feeding times, wts., out put and everything the nurses and I have instructed her plus all the info that we give out from the TDH and AAP about breastfeeding. One thing I am always cautious about is documentation so as far as CYI I got that covered.

[nicurn]

INSUBUBORDINATE!?!? There is no longer such thing as insubordination in medicine. Medical professionals are supposed to consult with each other, and all work together, with one person making the final decisions, and everyone having the ability to appeal.

After I punched a wall, I'd be writing the hospital board a very edited letter. You are doing this right, and the doctor is wack. I'm sorry.

[3girls2luv]

What an ass, the family called in another pedi and would not allow him in the room anymore after the social worker visited the family. I guess she told them that CPS was notified and will possibly be contacting them for failure to follow doctors orders. Well this ass of a doctor slammed the chart on the desk and told me that I will be written up for questioning his orders and he said "if this baby goes bad I guess we will see eachother in court right?" my boss jumped in and said "wrong, she did everything she has been trained to do and you sir have done nothing but question her ability and as far as I am concerned she is the expert on bf not you." Everyone hates this doc and now our whole unit will have a meeting about this I'm sure. I think my boss has had it with this man and she plans on filing a report against him. The second opinion doctor that is coming in has an IBCLC as a wife who is also a pediatric NP and they practice together so this is exactly what this mom needs. I am so proud of them for sticking to their guns.

[nicurn]

Hooray for the family, and I love your boss! I wish I had a boss who would go to bat with a doctor over me.

[foxinsocks]

I like your boss.

I hope everything turns out OK. Document, document, document...

[foxinsocks]

BTW, You are doing a great job advocating for that patient.