From The Times of Israel: To the Mother of the Newborn Who Starved to Death Despite Breastfeeding

To the Mother of the Newborn Who Starved to Death Despite Breastfeeding

March 27, 2017, 12:26 pm
I’m so terribly sorry for your loss.

You tried to give your baby the best.

You were told that everything was fine.

You never in a million years thought of this outcome.

You trusted the team of medical professionals for help.

The medical professionals failed you. We failed you.

The shocking story of an American baby who accidentally starved to death at 17 days old despite breastfeeding is tragic to read. Landon Johnson’s mother, Jillian Johnson, recently shared her story on a blog in the hopes that other mothers will learn from her experience. Baby Landon would have been 5 years old now.

This story is not an isolated case. And I’m sure there have been similar cases here in Israel. The saddest part is – this all could have been prevented. Jillian Johnson was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and because of the hormone imbalances which are associated with this syndrome it makes it harder for women with this medical condition to produce milk. Her low milk production was obviously unknown to her before she gave birth (wherein lies the problem). One lactation consultant at the hospital was apt enough to connect the dots after she saw the mom struggling to produce milk and suggested for her to take herbs once she was released from the hospital.

This recommendation did not save Landon’s life and within 12 hours after being released from the hospital he went into cardiac arrest caused by dehydration. There are many lessons we can take from this specific incident and I will highlight a few.

Read more at blogtimesofisrael.com