I second Barbara Wilson-Clay's comments about cup feeding. The importance of suckling to a baby as a calming mechanism cannot and should not be ignored. I have seen too many babies told by well-meaning breastfeeding support volunteers who are frantic from having been taken off breast and cup-fed or been cup-fed to avoid bottles while still learning (but not doing well) to breastfeed. In all such cases, I strongly encourage parents to give baby an opprotunity to suck for comfort and calming. If they do not like/will not use a pacifier, fine. A well-washed finger will suffice and is less likely to fall to the ground to be used by the dog! Sometimes bottles will do the trick, other times they are the CAUSE of difficulties. We must remember to individualize the suggestions we offer AFTER we have actually observed mother's and baby's efforts. This is where reports over the phone I find to be notably insufficient to provide appropriate advice. The biggest change that occurred soonest when I moved from volunteer breastfeeding supporter to paid LC was my insistence on seeing mother and baby and not just taking a phone call for an accurate presentation of what was happening. Oh my, the oxygen is getting thin up here. Next? Def. of LC service: "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations." Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Homewood, IL)- [log in to unmask] WEB PAGE: http://www.mcs.com/~auerbach/lactation.html LACTNET archives http://library.ummed.edu/lsv/archives/lactnet.html