On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 Jeanette Panchula wrote:

HELP!
I was reviewing some information to be given to parents related to bottle
feeding infants their mothers' milk (this is for babies that cannot for one
reason or another breastfeed at all, not for occasional bottles), and I
added:  Alternate sides so the baby is not always fed from one side to
encourage stimulation/contact on both sides.

Well - now I'm being asked for references - and I have none!

Does anyone have this available?

We have often said one of the advantages of breastfeeding was that
alternating of sides - do we have any evidence?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Jeanette
The reason is to lessen the risk of one-sided breast refusal . Some years
ago I learnt about the need to alternate sides when bottle-feeding babies
unable to go to breast.  I had had a relactating client could only get her
baby to accept one breast (the side she held her baby when bottle-feeding)
and wasn't sure why - till a client figured it out.  Click!  As a
consequence, I include this tip when working with a mother and have it in my
handouts. There is no reference for this practice to prevent one-sided
refusal, that I know of.  It is common sense, and I doubt if it has been
researched.
There are, however, references for why the side-lying position and
alternating is good for babies' eustachian tubes, etc.  I'm afraid I don't
have these references to hand.  Perhaps someone else can supply them.
Virginia

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