From the beginning, the baby has been 'anti breastfeeding'.  Mom said  the 
baby latched one time in the hospital -- went on the breast -- but did not  suck 
at all.  The hospital was great, kept baby skin to skin, did not use  bottles 
at all.  When I first saw them at the 4 day age, baby was so angry  just to 
be in the vicinity of the breast.  Hypertonic behavior in the  extreme, and 
nothing would help her relax. Trying to encourage her to latch  on just made her 
more angry and more tense.  I did not want to make her  really hate the 
breast, so we stopped, mom just held her skin to skin and  let her fuss and relax.  
Then she pumped and we fed the baby with a  bottle to see how she would 
respond to something else...and the baby did  not suck on the bottle at all and 
really did not even like the bottle in  her mouth.  She also did not like a finger 
in her mouth.  I  am one of those who do not want any negative associations 
with  breastfeeding so if a baby is very upset, we stop and try later.  At that 
 time, mom and baby were just so distressed...mom because all of her children 
 went to breast easily and happily and she was just beside herself having a 
baby  who 'does not want me' in her words.  It was not until the baby was 
another  couple of days older mom went to bottle feeding and offering the breast 
less  often just because realistically she could not manage any other way.   
Every attempt at the breast had a screaming and very tense baby.  Finger  
feeding, SNS, all discussed but bottle definitely mom's choice for ease and  
convenience.  Don't blame her at all for not being able to manage a house  full of 
children and a newborn who won't just latch so she can go about her  
life....bottles are easier than the alternatives.
 
Have tried nipple shield, and with milk already in the shield also.   Baby 
will not make that drawing motion.  How to explain...for those who are  used to 
watching a baby take a bottle...ever notice how they seem to pull it in  
farther and farther until they like where it is?  Or how an experienced  
breastfeeding baby will self latch, pull the nipple back (no pain, just getting  it 
right on their own)?  This baby makes the exact opposite motion.   Forces even the 
bottle nipple out, chews with the gums and will not make the  motions that 
the tongue would make...won't cup, won't even wrap around the  bottle nipple.  
 
Basically where we are now, is mom is considering chiropractic and cst for  
the baby, she is going to be patient and continue to try and hope with some  
maturity the baby will organize the suck and get it right, and in the meantime  
she pumps and protects her milk supply.  I am going to share the  information 
about the exercises on a ball mentioned and I had already mentioned  tummy 
time to her.  (Which by the way helped a baby who was still clamping  on 
momma--or maybe it was that chiropractic adjustment she received--or a  combination.)  
I would consider going to cup feeding for a day or so and  then trying again 
if I felt the baby was at least sucking on the bottle, not  chewing.  So, I am 
going to also suggest changing the bottles to the  playtex vent aires as 
suggested and maybe then the baby would have to  learn to suck.  Having the baby 
cup feed and have nothing to suck, and then  offer the breast after a day, has 
worked wonders, but if the baby really cannot  suck...it seems rather extreme 
to take that path when the baby is physically  unable to breastfeed.
 
Can I say that lately I have only had two dyads where it was a simple turn  
the baby this way, move your finger this way, and look, wait for the open  
mouth.....No.  I have had tongue ties of varying degrees, low to no milk  supply 
for a variety of reasons, not to mention the one with no reason we can  find at 
all, and babies who cannot use their tongues properly.  I so hope  this week 
brings me something easy....a nice question about how long to store  milk 
would be great...
 
Thanks for the great suggestions.
Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC
 
 

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