https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 15 May 2026 08:42:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437934 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:25:43 +0000 Foodnerd81 437934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I could see how the wrong mom could breastfeed the wrong child if it was in the middle of the night, she's totally exhausted, you probably just go into autopilot.<br /> But the whole thing is crazy and scary. Based on what @Arden: is saying, it sounds like there isn't a risk, really, but I'd probably still get the tests done just in case. It's just a simple blood test-- which of course I would hate to see but for the peace of mind, it's a small thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437861 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:10:59 +0000 sarac 437861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: The rate of HIV transmission is low, especially when the mom is on anti-retrovirals and other appropriate meds. In the developing world the benefits of breastfeeding can out weigh the risk of transmission. Not sure that applies in the developed world.</p> <p>Also, gross. My sister gave me her pumped milk when my babe was in the nicu and my milk was just coming in and they were threatening me with formula. It was such an intimate thing, such a gift from her. I'll never forget it. I'd have been appalled to just have some random woman feeding my child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437587 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:34:38 +0000 MamaMoose 437587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First of all. The wrong bassinet shouldn't have resulted in this issue. EVERY time M left us or was brought to us her arm band was compared against mine or my husband's and it was noted in her chart. Second of all... I'm sorry but I knew what my baby looked like right from the start. If they brought me the wrong baby I would not have gotten to the point of breastfeeding before I noticed it!!!</p> <p>I agree with someone else who said that the mistake would upset me more than the actual breastfeeding (unless this woman actually was HIV positive or had hepatitis... Then I would be livid and someone would be getting hit with a big ass law suit). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437557 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:19:36 +0000 blackbird 437557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it was just a precaution. This happened at another hospital in '08 or '09 and they talked about doing HIV testing on the baby then, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437556 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:19:21 +0000 ladyfingers 437556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: True. I totally agree, I think it's overkill -- just a strange story overall! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437543 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:15:30 +0000 Arden 437543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: I don't know if they would leave the baby alone with the mother or not (I'm assuming they would, it wouldn't be right to keep them separated), but they certainly would have told her NOT to breastfeed, so I doubt the woman would have admitted she had breastfed the child when she realized the mistake.<br /> She would have been risking having her own babies taken away.</p> <p>I do understand the worries of the mother having possibly contracted HIV recently, but personally I would have talked to the woman face to face (which they said they did in the article) and then decided if I really thought it was necessary to put my baby through all that testing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437528 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:09:12 +0000 ladyfingers 437528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: I'm genuinely curious, so would they never leave the baby alone with the mother at all? Because the mother could easily go ahead and just breastfeed even though the hospital hadn't expressly brought the baby in for that purpose... </p> <p>I'm wondering if perhaps this isn't just a precaution because, even though you are tested for HIV at two different points in pregnancy (at least, I have been, for precaution), it can take up to three months for antibodies to show on tests (unless they do more sensitive RNA tests). So maybe they/the parents are thinking, well geez, this stranger could have contracted it like a week before the baby was born...?</p> <p>idk, at any rate, it is very scary for a lot of reasons. I don't understand how the name bands weren't checked, or how the mother didn't know. I'm also grateful our hospital doesn't do well babies in the nursery and instead has them room in with mom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437183 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:53:42 +0000 skibobrown 437183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Scary! I thought I wouldn't be able to recognize my baby right away since I am normally so bad with faces. But for some reason, I could recognize her immediately. When they came into our room to check her tags against mine I just laughed b/c I already knew her face, so I knew they had brought in the right baby. (I did appreciate all of the checking of tags though. I think that level of security is very important on a maternity ward.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437172 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:50:50 +0000 mediagirl 437172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: our hospital did the same thing, too. They also did random checks 2-3x/day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437164 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:46:58 +0000 Mrs. Pen 437164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: that's how the mother figured out it wasn't her baby, she saw the ankle bracelet.</p> <p>@mediagirl: we had the option to send Cobi to nursery or stay with us and we definitely kept him with us! He had to go to the nursery to blood draws and hearing tests but one of is always went with him. </p> <p>I think it's a big deal and I would be soooo livid. That is just not okay!!! I know my hospital was sooo careful about asking me my name/birth before administering even ibuprofen!! They wouldn't have made that mistake.! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437146 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:37:20 +0000 runsyellowlites 437146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>And THAT'S why I don't willing let my bebe's go to the nursery.... Although we did have to let P go for a "needed" clean catch u/a (it was a mess &amp; with the pedi there we were just trying to get discharged w/o a call to CPS which the Dr. is known for doing). I hated her going! DS never went to the nursery &amp; hopefully I never have to worry about that again with future kiddos b/c we'll already be home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437145 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:37:20 +0000 Arden 437145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: We don't have too, we just need to get their health all checked out. :) I've raised sheep in the past and they aren't too hard to care for, and their milk is so much healthier than cow or goat. We'll get them when we move to Kosovo and are settled down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437140 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:35:05 +0000 Mrsbells 437140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: Oh I see.. Thanks for all that information; so helpful! Good luck with getting sheep, I guess would have to buy them as baby lambs right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437136 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:33:14 +0000 Alivoo01 437136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh heck no!!! Mix up of babies and now it could test positive for HIV?! I'd be hella pissed!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437130 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:31:18 +0000 hilsy85 437130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: our hospital had the same system. That is just crazy that this happened. I would be super upset :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437117 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:26:08 +0000 Arden 437117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: Yep, you can pasteurize any kind of milk. All milk loses some nutrients when pasteurized, but pasteurized breast milk is still superior to formula in nutrient value (after all, that's typically based on pasteurized cow's milk).</p> <p>This is why we want to get some sheep so we can give our family raw sheep's milk instead of pasteurized cow's milk. </p> <p>I wouldn't buy raw milk because there are risks to raw milk when you don't know it's source or the health of the animal, but if you raise the animal yourself and are careful, you can get all the benefits of raw milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437115 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:24:04 +0000 Mrsbells 437115@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Yes our hospital would always double check the number on the baby's tag with the number on her arm. I thought they were overdoing it at one point, because my baby was the only one in the nursery with a head full of curly hair </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437113 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:22:49 +0000 Mrsbells 437113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: Oh... I didnt realize you could pasteruize breastmilk. I learn new things everyday! Does it still maintain all/most of the nutrients? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437110 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:21:56 +0000 winniebee 437110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's crazy. Our hospital had a system in place every time the baby was taken from your room for whatever reason....the baby has 2 bracelets (one on each foot) and you have a bracelet too (mom and dad). When they come into the room they ask you to read off your serial number to make sure it matches baby's. And they read off the name of the baby tag on your baby as well. I can't remember but they may have also scanned his tags. </p> <p>Our baby was very distinct looking right away. And he was only 5 lbs so I would have known if they switched him up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437108 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:21:27 +0000 Arden 437108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: Yes, they test all donated milk just like they test donated blood, and it's pasteurized.<br /> Donors must undergo a medical screening and a blood test to rule out infectious diseases such as HIV-1 and-2, hepatitis B and C and syphilis.<br /> In addition to careful screening of donors, each batch of milk is tested for bacterial counts before pasteurization. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437106 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:20:44 +0000 Mrsbells 437106@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow well in that case I'm surprised that breast milk banks are encouraged. Are they able to test the milk that is donated or the mom to be sure they dont have some disease that can be passed on through their milk? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437098 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:17:56 +0000 mediagirl 437098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A. The baby is 48 hours old - HOW do you not know this is NOT your child?????</p> <p>B. This makes me so glad our hospital does not have a nursery for well babies. They stay with you in your room at all times unless they are having their hearing test (and you are welcome to go to that test - which my husband did). </p> <p>Incredible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437094 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:15:46 +0000 Arden 437094@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: But the hospital wouldn't have allowed it. They wouldn't be bringing the baby in to breastfeed, they would be calling CPS. In the USA, it's considered child endangerment to breastfeed if you have HIV. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437090 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:14:02 +0000 loveisstrange 437090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: I've seen women continue to try to breastfeed even to the detriment of their child's health, you never know what goes through someone's head. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437088 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:11:55 +0000 Arden 437088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbells: If she had HIV and was breastfeeding her twins, CPS would have taken them away. It's considered child endangerment in the USA. The hospital would not be bringing her babies in to breastfeed.<br /> "After a report of HIV transmission through breast milk in 1985, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that HIV positive mothers in the U.S. should not breastfeed." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437081 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:10:23 +0000 blackbird 437081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If the woman did have HIV, why would she be breastfeeding her babies, then? Couldn't she pass HIV on to them? It would seem safer to abstain, if that were the case, right?...(http://www.aidsmap.com/HIV-testing-for-babies-and-children/page/1060202/ this article says HIV-positive moms should formula feed) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437073 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:07:13 +0000 Mrsbells 437073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: I think she does have HIV but they dont want to come out and say it because of patient confidentiality </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437065 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:02:58 +0000 blackbird 437065@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't the babies have arm bands and such saying who they belong to?? Even if he was put in the wrong basinette, wouldn't the name not match up or something? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437063 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 09:00:45 +0000 Arden 437063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I knew HIV could be transferred through breastmilk... but unless the other woman had HIV (and I guarantee she didn't or she wouldn't have been breastfeeding her own babies), then why all the testing? It seems like overkill. </p> <p>I would be very angry that the hospital made such a stupid and dangerous mistake.<br /> The breastfeeding doesn't bother me that much, but the mistake does. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switched-baby-breastfed-by-wrong-mom#post-437059 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:56:13 +0000 loveisstrange 437059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I mean, breastmilk can carry all matter of toxins and things, so I could see it being a concern. </p> <p>I'd be PISSED if this happened to me. </p>