Re: [ozmidwifery] Suggestions sought

[Denise Hynd]

Dear Debbie It is sad to hear your wonderful birth has not been followed by lovely feeding experiences - sometimes it happens! Though at what point you gave your baby a bottle feed is not clear nor for how long? It seems you and your adviser were not aware of the potential for nipple confusion! Yes many babies can do both - but some can not!   Perhaps a NMAA counsellor can help or an IBCLC but the best they can do is increase your knowledge and understanding and support you in your efforts! Ultimately you need to develop the skills and insight to problem solve what is happening for you and your baby so you can fix it in the middle of the night etc! I have known a baby to have nipple confusion after only 1 bottle feed that is to feed on a breast like a bottle - different and incompatible!   Because a bottle teat is firm, everted no matter what a baby does to it and requires a piston action to control flow whereas a breast requires to be brought out  and held beyond the base of the tongue and milk by a peristaltic action. When a breast is treated to bottle feeding action it does not work rather gets traumatised!!   But with patience and understanding babies and mothers can sort it out, research says that there is a point (different for many babies) when this confusion will resolve!   So be aware there will come a time when your  baby will to revert to correct instinctual fixating on breast feeding, evidence suggests that the less you give it mixed messages the sooner that may be!   Meanwhile you need to try to maximise your understanding, techniques and  messages regarding optimal positioning and attachment - that is get as much of your breast Not just nipple into your baby's mouth!   I recommend "Bestfeeding: Getting breastfeeding right for you." by Chloe Fischer and Mary Renfrew as a user friendly text - lots of pictures and simplifications of the Basics. These are; * Chest to chest (NOTHING in between) * chin over breast , NOSE at the level of the nipple prior to baby opening and *when the mouth is open YOU PUT YOUR BABY  on your breast  (not nipple into mouth or baby does this it is confused) so the mouth is over areola especially under the tongue!! * Push the baby in behind/between the shoulders not the head! * So the head is slightly extended same as when every other human drinks!! Do not push the head as then the chin goes to the chest and no human or other species drinks with its head forward!!   If it hurts try increasing/exaggerating these movements/positions to get more breast in the mouth before taking the baby off the breast (I have seen trauma from detaching the baby!!) Also look at these steps using a video playback or mirror at breast level - are you lifting the breast out of its natural alignment and position??Are you bringing the baby to the breast not the breast to the baby??...   Or see if you can get a copy of Rebecca  Glover's (RM,IBCLC in Perth WA) "Key to Successful Breastfeeding" leaflet or her video "Follow me mum"" from Capers or BirthInternational I will give you her Perth number tomorrow if you need?   With good information you can fix this and learn by it!!! Be patient and beleive it will come right ! Denise Hynd ----- Original Message ----- From: Debbie Field To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2002 10:07 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] Suggestions sought Hi, I recently had my daughter at home. A great birth experience...however the breastfeeding is really testing me out. I have used formula in a bottle to allow my breasts to heal while also expressing to maintain my milk supply. My baby girl is 17 days old and i am still having trouble with my attachment. She continually adjusts to a small mouth. Any suggestions. deb