Once I started looking at 'nipple confusion' in another way, I have had a
much easier time helping babies to go from one nipple to the other.  I look
at it like this:  We need to teach the babies to 'recognize the food source'.
 If a baby has been bottle fed and then screams at the breast, I think it is
because she/he does not recognize the human nipple as a food source, if
she/he knew there was food in there, they'd suck.  When I am assisting a baby
in learning a new food source, I use EBM to dribble over the nipple or in the
nipple shield (via a curved tip syringe).  Sometimes, they catch on right
away, some times it takes a couple of syringe fulls and 20 minutes.  But at
some point, you can see them catch on!  They want to eat, they just don't
know there is food there.  If the baby starts to cry, I encourage the mom to
calm them and hold them, then we start again.  Sometimes I will do a small
finger feed to get them sucking, then back to the breast.  This has always
worked for me.  If it's a mom complaining that their baby won't take a
bottle, well, then, I just smile inwardly and kiss the baby!  I truly
believe, their instinct to eat is strong enough to learn to suck on anything
that delivers their much wanted and needed food!  It is just a matter of
helping them recognize the food source.  I personally cannot stand to hear
babies cry at the breast (or pretty much anywhere else) and will do
everything in my power to help.  Sometimes putting a finger sort of behind
the nipple and pushing gently down on the baby's gum will let her/him know,
'IT'S A NIPPLE, IT'S FOOD'  Once they have caught on once, the next times get
easier and easier.  This works for going from the nipple shield to the nipple
too, although, I think babies do that one on their own in their own sweet
time.
Try it!
Annie VerSteeg  IBCLC
Beach Area Breastfeeding
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breastfeeding... It's for life

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