Infant Switched at Birth Breastfed by Wrong Mother, Undergoes HIV and Hepatitis Testing

A Minneapolis woman is fearful for her newborn son after the baby was accidentally placed in the wrong bassinet at the Abbott Northwestern Hospital and breastfed by the wrong mother. The child immediately underwent HIV and hepatitis tests, both of which were negative, but must continue to have testing for a full year as a precaution.

The mix-up happened on Wednesday, and the mother, Tammy Van Dyke was notified two hours after it happened. She was just about to take her baby, Cody, home. Tammy was also able to talk to the other mother, who was just as distraught over the mix-up as she was. The other woman also had to wait 20 minutes before her newborn, Liam, was located.

Tammy says that she imagined a happy homecoming with her newborn, where she would introduce him to her 2-year-old son. However, instead she says that she will agonize over the year of testing that Cody will now have to endure. In an apology letter, the hospital said:

Please accept this letter with our sincerest apologies for what occurred today at the hospital, that in the nursery your newborn son was placed in the wrong bassinette and then was taken to the wrong mother and breastfed. The hospital agrees to pay for the additional testing that you had done today and will also pay for the tests recommended for your son related to this incident up to one year.

In a press release, hospital representative and practicing obstetrician, Dr. Penny Wheeler, stated:

As an obstetrician, I have personally seen verification of the infant's identifying name band matched correctly with the mother's on hundreds of occasions. It is extremely unfortunate that was not the case this time. We sincerely apologize to the involved families and will make certain we understand why our procedures were not appropriately followed in this case.