Hi All,

 

I worked in day care centers many, many years ago and routinely got so
ticked off at the employees because they would force feed the babies by
wiggling and twisting the bottles – completely ignoring the babies’ attempts
to spit the darn bottle out of their mouths.  I used to get angry with my
mother when she would feed solids to my child  (or anyone else’s for that
matter) because she would force feed the baby – who is clearly turning their
head away and giving CLEAR and outright signals that they were done.  This
was all LONG before I had even heard of a Lactation Consultant.  :-)

 

One thing I teach all my mommy’s who need to go back to work is how to talk
to the care provider about baby’s feeding cues and to NOT force feed.  I
have had it happen too many times where I have been asked to speak to the
care provider (who is overfeeding the baby) and explain baby’s cues…pretty
sad if you ask me.  Is it really that hard to listen to the child?  I don’t
think so…but there are those who clearly have no clue.  It is up to us to
educate the parents and the parents to educate the care providers – and I
have no problem playing back-up if needed.  

 

I do see a considerable amount of overfeeding in babies who are exclusively
fed EBM.  I get calls from moms freaking out about their supplies not
meeting baby’s needs.  Sometimes I get so tired of hearing about the 2 month
old who is taking upwards of 40 ounces a day – you know 5 8 ounce
bottles…sigh.  How do you retrain a baby to learn its actual ‘full’ cues
rather than ‘stretched’ cues?  

 

I have the pleasure of playing nanny to a 5 month old little boy 2 days per
week.  He is really quite fun but he is pulling the old reverse cling trick.
His mommy is so glad to not have to worry about feeding when he is with me
because she knows I know how to read his cues and I won’t force him to eat
if he doesn’t want to.  You see, when he is with me (or anyone but his mommy
for that matter), I am lucky if he drinks more than 4 ounces – and he is
with me for 8 ½ hours!  LOL!  He sleeps A LOT (snuggled in my lap which I
just LOVE!), eats very little, which worries his mommy, even tho he is
clearly fine (at 19 pounds) and has those chubby thighs you LOVE to squeeze!
She knows he is reverse cycling, but being a new and normal first time mom,
she has to worry a bit!  :-)  Now, I could see how any other caregiver could
freak out and try to force feed the baby.  I mean, really he isn’t eating
much at all…and if I didn’t know that he routinely took 6-8 ounces from mom
directly, then I might worry myself.  He simply takes enough to quiet his
rumbling tummy and he is good.  He really doesn’t like the bottle and will
only take it is he is really hungry.  :-)   And when he is starting to get
hungry, his mommy taught him the sign for ‘eat’…so adorable!!  I just about
fell over when he did it the first time this past week!  I knew exactly what
he wanted – so darn cute at 5 months and he is learning sign!  Wow!

 

Well, I just wanted to share my story – not a big deal – but it is kinda fun
to see reverse cycling in action.  I have only worked with one mom whose
baby did this, so it was more of a thing you hear about but have never dealt
with kind of thing.  It has come in handy when talking to moms at times to
let them know it does happen and it is happening with me!  :-)

 

Hope everyone had a nice Holiday if you celebrated…  :-)

Warmly,

J

 

 

Jaye Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM

Breastfeeding Network

Sacramento, CA

www.breastfeedingnetwork.net

 


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