Whew!  I am so glad we are talking about this here!  This is my major point
of frustration on an almost daily basis.  I work for a WIC agency and
although every staff member is very bf friendly, just by the nature of the
agency, we give a mixed message.  Therefore, I often see babies that have
been on bottles for X number of days and will not latch on.  I have also
been using techniques that in years past I would have frowned upon. Such as
nipple shields-sometimes it really does the trick and the mom would
absolutely have given up without this.  I figure a little breastmilk is
better than no breastmilk.

A few weeks ago I saw a mom with a copious milk supply but the baby
wouldn't nurse.  We had to speak through a translator, which made it all
more difficult. (I MUST learn Spanish!) Anyway, the baby had a very tight
frenulum.  Would not  (or probably could not) extend his tongue.  Sent the
baby to the oral surgeon who said it was fine because the baby could take a
bottle.  AUGHHHHHH!!  Mom was really determined to breastfeed.  Baby
wouldnt cup or finger feed.  Mom was giving EBM in bottles.  I will have
the translator call on Monday to make sure she is still attempting to give
the breast and encourage her that it might all come together yet.

I've always felt that it was a done deal when the mother wouldn't consider
an alternate mode of feeding a baby that refused the breast.  I will
encourage moms to stick with it, even with bottle feeding EBM or the other
stuff from now on.  I always kinda said it, but now I really believe it!
Thanks all of you.

Now, one more ?.  What about using something like a Haberman feeder for
these situations? Do they work better when trying to reestablish bfing?
Since they require a more active feeding on the part of the baby, do they
help make the transition?

Barbara Leshin-Zucker, IBCLC
Breastfeeding Coordinator, Morrisania WIC
Bronx, NY