Bonnie and all who emailed me,
   Thanks for all the congrats.  Never realized my post would create so much
mail.  Since I'm no lurking I've decided to take the plunge.  I learned a
whole lot about normal newborn behavior from 9 yrs as a LLL.  During that time
I saw so many newborns that I began to really notice when there was a baby
that didn't "act" right.  Many times I have picked up a potential problem
right here in my little office long before nursing school.  In nursing school
I learned (again) what normal newborns are supposed to do but there was really
no focus on newborns that have a problems.  I think one has to have a lot of
experience and good gut feeling for what is not right.  I don't think a new
grad from nursing school would pick up on a newborn with a problem anymore
than a new LC would without some experience under their belt.  As a matter of
fact if these problems manifested during a feed I would think the LC would
pick up a problem quicker because they are trained in what a normal breastfeed
would look like and bellieve me nurses don't have that training.   An example
is when I had been at the hospital only about a month. I saw a newborn that I
was told was breastfeeding well.  The mother stated she couldn't feel the baby
sucking.  As I listened to this baby nurse  I heard a soft hollow sound.  I
took the baby over to the window and looked deep into his mouth.  Sure enough
there was small hole in the soft palate.  Had i not been familiar with this
sound I would not have known what to look for.  The L&D nurse, ped, couplet
care nurse all missed it on their assessments because the baby seemed to be
breastfeeding well.  I don't think it matters what one's background is in.  It
is experience with breastfeeding that counts.

Vicki Pena IBCLC ( and hopefully RN soon)