Hello Esther,

I worked with a mom who was missing both arms.
The position she had the most success with was lying down.  We had some
difficulty with good latch due to not being able to provide support with
baby. She used a rolled up blanket and the sleeper wedges to help support
baby from behind. She used her feet to position the baby before she laid
down to attemp lacht on. We came up with a stick like device that had a soft
tip she could hold in her mouth to detach her baby.  She did this over and
over until baby lachted well.  We did work with the sling also but found
this difficult to get baby latched on without the help of someone.  She is
able to get baby into and out of sling by using her feet. When baby was
around three weeks we worked on proping baby upright on the coutch using
pillows to help support him and then mom would lean into him.  She also put
him into the car
seat and leaned into him, around four weeks old. I made a pillow case for
her that had a strap on it to hold baby in place, she would put baby into
this
then bring the pillow on her lap with one knee up (indian style) then lean
over baby so that he could latch to breast.

She did deal with improper latch difficuties off and on until baby was about
six weeks.  She is exclusively nursing and baby is six months now.
I hope that this gives you some ideas and most of all a situation to help
inspire the mom that you are working with.

I do have moms permission to share her story to help others.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Denice


----- Original Message -----
From: "Esther G" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 8:41 PM
Subject: mom with one arm


> I would like some of your experiences working with moms who are missing
> limbs.  I have a mom who was born with only 1/4 of her right arm.  She has
a
> prosthesis which gives her limited mobility, but no digital mobility.  She
> can use it for support, but not much more.
> Small breasts with medium nipple.
> I saw her just as I was leaving yesterday.
> She was breastfeeding lying down and the baby was semi-latched.
> I showed her the Chloe latch ( cross cradle) on the right breast and the
> clutch on the left. I had to assist with the actual latch and showed the
dad
> and the great-grandmother how to assist. I will try to get her to work
with
> a sling.
> I once had a mom with paralysis in one arm who breastfeed with no
problems,
> however I do not remember the early days.
> Any suggestions before I go to work on Sunday?
> Esther Grunis, IBCLC
> Lis Maternity Hospital
> Tel Aviv, Israel
> mailto:[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
>

             ***********************************************
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