Kate has asked about the terms alternate massage and breast compression. The original concept and technique of alternate massage was published in 1968 and described a technique that helped relieve engorgement and improve the weight gain of babies. Breast compressions alternated with sucking on the same breast, not the other breast. Mothers would massage and compress the breast each time the baby paused between sucking bursts. The reference is: Iffrig MC. Nursing care and success in breastfeeding. Nursing Clinics of North America 1968; 3:345-354 This technique was looked at again in 1987/1988 and once more demonstrated improved weight gain, increased fat content of the milk, and increased milk intake. The two references for this are: Bowles BC, et al. New benefits from an old technique: alternate massage in breastfeeding. Genesis 1987/1988; 9: 5-9,17 Stutte PC, et al. The effects of breast massage on volume and fat content of human milk. Genesis 1988; 10:22-25 I like to use this technique with babies who cannot sustain sucking, who are slow or ineffective feeders, and with babies having weight gain problems. Zoned out newborns often are helped by increasing the internal pressure of the breast to create a better pressure gradient for them to remove milk. Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC Weston, MA *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] 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