Mum's gut instinct about baby's feeds would end up saving his life
09.12.2023 - 06:23
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A mum whose baby couldn't keep down his milk says her son would have died within days if she didn’t trust her gut.
Abby Whittaker’s son Kingsley was just a few weeks old when she noticed he kept vomiting after every bottle feed.
The 28-year-old says she raised her concerns at a walk-in clinic in Ashton-under-Lyne where nurses believed the tot may have had tongue-tie, where the strip of skin connecting a baby's tongue to the bottom of their mouth is shorter than usual. They then referred him to see a specialist.
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But just two days later, Abby noticed Kingsley’s condition was worsening, prompting her to take him to the urgent care centre at Tameside General Hospital.
The youngster was given Gaviscon and Abby says she was assured he was suffering from either reflux or tongue-tie.
That same evening, despite taking his medication, Kingsley’s condition continued to deteriorate and Abby returned to the hospital once more.
Kingsley, who lives in Ashton with his mum, was kept on a ward overnight and his blood tests showed nothing of concern.
“I spoke up and asked why I was getting no answers,” Abby said. “His bloods were taken but they came back fine. Kingsley went onto the ward for the night where things got much worse with [doctors] not knowing and putting it down to reflux.
“I was completely lost with my baby lay on his bed with everyone completely confused. All I did was cry. I couldn’t sleep or eat; I was a mess.”
Doctors allegedly concluded Kingsley, who had developed a strange breathing pattern by this point, was being overfed and his