Esther, Since you love the analogy thread, I thought I would add a couple to explain why some babies do not appear to experience nipple confusion or preference. I usually explain it to my moms like this: Imagine that I took a dance class with Baryshnikov. If we both learned two different dances, he would do them both perfectly, and I would confuse steps between the two dances. Let's face facts, most of us are not Baryshnikovs (but a select few are)! I, too, have seen situations where no matter how many bottles the baby had, he could always go back to the breast without a problem. Often mothers with these "resilient" babies don't have any idea how easy they have it until the next child proves that all babies don't work that way! Simply put, we all have different motor skill level, and some babies are just more talented than others. It helps to avoid artificial nipples for at least the first month because the baby basically goes through an "imprinting" process with the breast. Usually the confusion does not take place so readily when the breastfeeding relationship is firmly established--but there are no guarantees! To add a few more analogies: What happens when you rent a car that has a gear shift in the center consol as opposed to the steering column (or visa versa). How many times do you reach to shift gears in the wrong place before you finally get it right? There are some other lines. Babies don't exit the womb with signs on their forehead that would indicate that they would be more or less likely to be nipple confused. Also, my patent answer to the medical professional who says, "there is no such thing as nipple confusion": If my child had a mango allergy and your's did not, would you tell me that there is no such thing as a mango allergy? In a message dated 8/20/00 1:31:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: << Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2000 07:04:00 +0200 From: Esther <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Unexplained irony....... Have you noticed that the moms who least want to breastfeed, but due to circumstances are forced to, are the ones who have the least problems. Back to work on thursday after sick leave to find that many babies had been given bottles due to "perceived lack of milk by night nurse" syndrome. Terrible latch problems with tongue thrust or refusal to latch even after one bottle. Low milk supply due to lack of stimulation. In waltzes a mom who tells me that "they" say that she has to breastfeed. She is day 3 pp, and never intended to breastfeed, however her baby regurgitated every artificial milk he drank and has lost too much weight. After struggling with all the other bottled babies, I have my doubts and prepare the mom that her baby may not latch right away ( if at all). We put him in clutch position, squeeze a little milk out of her breast ( which spurts milk across the room even though she has not breastfed even once in the last 3 days ( Peter Hartmann please explain that) and within 5 seconds he is latched and happily gulping with VERY audible swallows. Survival instinct? Why would this mom have no problems, and so many others who have dreamt about breastfeeding all their lives have terrible latch problems and supply problems after just one bottle? Are the other moms too over-motivated therefore projecting this to baby? Help me on this one!! So much for all my theories!! Help, wise ones!! Jean, BWC, Pat.....anyone? >> *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html