I'm trying to visualize Diane W's explanation of Rebecca Glover's video on latch.  Some things don't make sense to me while others sound like what I do.  I don't "get" not using the nipple to stimulate the baby to "find" the nipple.  It seems to me that is what it was programmed to do.  I think we
all find our own ways, variations of the same general principles, to get babies successfully latched.  I don't position the baby so that s/he is directly facing the nipple, rather, slightly "below" it.  I tell parents it's like climbing a mountain.  To latch deeply baby's jaw should go up and over
the nipple.  I have started aiming the nipple at the top lip, rather than lower because it seems to me, babies get on too shallow or high on the nipple or with bottom lips folded under in the straight-on or above-the-nipple start position.  They also raise their heads when they feel the nipple up
there putting them in that good, slightly elevated head position.  I do use a finger above the nipple (which is to say approximately where baby's nose will be in any given position) and depress to make a...I call it a shelf for lack of a better term.  (Of course, finger moves off quickly as baby
moves on).  I tell parents this is so baby can feel something to get his jaws around because they sometimes seem to be unable to tell what they are supposed to do after they've responded to their instincts to root and to open their mouths.  They appear to be still looking with the nipple in their
mouth.  I tell parents that these early feedings, babies are responding to instincts alone.  Their strong sucking instinct provides them food, though they don't know this initially.  They make the connection quickly but sometimes this is why they are rooting and rooting and not latching.  They do
not recognize the cue to suck, sometimes, unless the nipple (or something) triggers it.  I usually do this for babies who just can't make the switch from rooting to sucking and for those moms with large/flat/inverted/ and sometimes too pointed nipples who can't get the baby on.  I think depressing
right above the nipple also tips the nipple up into roof of baby's mouth upon latch so it triggers that suck reflex and lets him know there's a nipple there.  Interestingly, I have about as much difficulty -or more- with moms with very smallish breasts.  There's not much there to work with or
manipulate.  Positioning, then, becomes the biggest key.  I can't quite tell if the technique you describe, Diane, is akin to this or not.  I am having trouble picturing it.  Any pictures on the internet anywhere?  My technique works for me most of the time and I find that, often, after using this a
few times and getting a few feedings with good deep latches in, baby can do it themselves without the extra assistance.  Of course this is when they have made the connection that breast in mouth equals comfort and food, i.e. a happy tummy!

Marsha, whose description is probably, itself, pretty fuzzy!

Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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