Story from N.K., a physician and mom about her first-born son.

My son born on September 21st at 8 pounds and 3 ounces. He had a large cephalohematoma and I was status post a breast reduction. He went home 2 days later down 8 percent of his birth weight and exclusively breast feeding. According to every OB, pediatric provider and lactation consultant he met discharge criteria. He had already required tongue tie clipping for poor latch and I left the hospital with bleeding cracked nipples, a screaming inconsolable son and a total of 3 hours of sleep since my admission 4 days prior. 2 days later at his scheduled follow up he was found to be down 10% of his birth weight and his T bili was 21. He was readmitted and put under the lights. I was still told I could EBF because he didn't meet supplementation metrics but the pediatric nurses were horrified that I wouldn't supplement. But it wasn't that I wouldn't I was just being told over and over by everyone else that I didn't need to. All of this as a physician myself who had done my breast feeding research because of my history. But I listened to my baby friendly agenda pushing providers at my hospital instead of my baby's cries, my instincts and my mother's pleas to feed the baby. The day before my son was readmitted he was having episodes of lethargy. I thought he was finally "Tiring out"...he was instead lethargic from the bilirubin bathing his brain. I still don't know what his glucose was on admission. It was never tested.  I let this happen. I will never let it happen again. I will fight this misguided policy until the day I die.