BBC NEWS | Health | 'My baby couldn't breastfeed'
Monday, 21 April, 2003, 00:17 GMT 01:17 UK
Jane Elliott
BBC News Online health staff

"When Anne-Marie Ianzito tried to breastfeed her son Jamie she knew something was wrong.

Anne-Marie had been determined to breastfeed him, but quickly found problems.
Jamie
Jamie still has problems with certain foods

Jamie, now two and a half, was unable to latch on properly and so feeding was sporadic and almost impossible.

Three weeks after his birth Jamie had lost more than 10% of his body weight of 6lbs 3oz and his weight became dangerously low.

Feeds

Worried doctors ordered supplemental feeds and Anne-Marie had to switch to bottle feeds and expressed milk to try and push his intake up.

But despite her worries that the feeding problems were caused by a very severe tongue tie, she said doctors were unwilling to act and divide the tongue...." [ What a shame that this mom lost her breastfeeding relationship with her child because doctors wouldn't act. She has since successfully breastfed another child and is angry that doctors didn't take the action needed. Women are not getting the help they need when breastfeeding fails... - JC]