I would like to give an update on a case I posted afew days ago.  The baby
would go to breast, latch, start to suck but before swallowing would pull off
( been working with mom for 3 weeks ).  Baby was making a lot of snorting
noises.  On Tue. pedi examined baby and found the left naries blocked, mom
started using saline drops.  On Fri saw pedi ENT, mom states baby still
snorting but not as bad.
His exam found nothing wrong and he did not feel any further evaluation was
needed.
I was happy with the news but confussed.  Thought the saline must have helped
so had mom continue thru w/e and baby was now able to swallow at breast.
I called the pedi ENT about his visit and asked if he observed a
breastfeeding.  First he said yes but then looked at his notes and said he
obs. bottle feeding and everything was normal and there was no problem with
this baby.  I explained what I had observed that when the baby latch so the
nose and chin touched the breast the baby would pull off he said " If the
nose touches the breast how can they breath?!"
He had no clue how a baby breastfeeds!
Mom has been wonderful, staying calm, keeping up her supply and keeps trying
baby at breast.  He is snorting less and now completes several feedings at
the breast.  I wonder if there was some birth trauma - leading to edema -
then a mucous build up.  I could not get any help from this ENT to work this
threoy out.
I wonder if I sent him some pictures on babies breastfeeding and the NORMAL
sequence a human needs to do to corrrectly obtain their nutrition, if it
would do any good.
Thank you for letting me share my story.

Ann Perry RN IBCLC