From the beginning, the baby has been 'anti breastfeeding'. Mom said the
baby latched one time in the hospital -- went on the breast -- but did not suck
at all. The hospital was great, kept baby skin to skin, did not use bottles
at all. When I first saw them at the 4 day age, baby was so angry just to
be in the vicinity of the breast. Hypertonic behavior in the extreme, and
nothing would help her relax. Trying to encourage her to latch on just made her
more angry and more tense. I did not want to make her really hate the
breast, so we stopped, mom just held her skin to skin and let her fuss and relax.
Then she pumped and we fed the baby with a bottle to see how she would
respond to something else...and the baby did not suck on the bottle at all and
really did not even like the bottle in her mouth. She also did not like a finger
in her mouth. I am one of those who do not want any negative associations
with breastfeeding so if a baby is very upset, we stop and try later. At that
time, mom and baby were just so distressed...mom because all of her children
went to breast easily and happily and she was just beside herself having a
baby who 'does not want me' in her words. It was not until the baby was
another couple of days older mom went to bottle feeding and offering the breast
less often just because realistically she could not manage any other way.
Every attempt at the breast had a screaming and very tense baby. Finger
feeding, SNS, all discussed but bottle definitely mom's choice for ease and
convenience. Don't blame her at all for not being able to manage a house full of
children and a newborn who won't just latch so she can go about her
life....bottles are easier than the alternatives.
Have tried nipple shield, and with milk already in the shield also. Baby
will not make that drawing motion. How to explain...for those who are used to
watching a baby take a bottle...ever notice how they seem to pull it in
farther and farther until they like where it is? Or how an experienced
breastfeeding baby will self latch, pull the nipple back (no pain, just getting it
right on their own)? This baby makes the exact opposite motion. Forces even the
bottle nipple out, chews with the gums and will not make the motions that
the tongue would make...won't cup, won't even wrap around the bottle nipple.
Basically where we are now, is mom is considering chiropractic and cst for
the baby, she is going to be patient and continue to try and hope with some
maturity the baby will organize the suck and get it right, and in the meantime
she pumps and protects her milk supply. I am going to share the information
about the exercises on a ball mentioned and I had already mentioned tummy
time to her. (Which by the way helped a baby who was still clamping on
momma--or maybe it was that chiropractic adjustment she received--or a combination.)
I would consider going to cup feeding for a day or so and then trying again
if I felt the baby was at least sucking on the bottle, not chewing. So, I am
going to also suggest changing the bottles to the playtex vent aires as
suggested and maybe then the baby would have to learn to suck. Having the baby
cup feed and have nothing to suck, and then offer the breast after a day, has
worked wonders, but if the baby really cannot suck...it seems rather extreme
to take that path when the baby is physically unable to breastfeed.
Can I say that lately I have only had two dyads where it was a simple turn
the baby this way, move your finger this way, and look, wait for the open
mouth.....No. I have had tongue ties of varying degrees, low to no milk supply
for a variety of reasons, not to mention the one with no reason we can find at
all, and babies who cannot use their tongues properly. I so hope this week
brings me something easy....a nice question about how long to store milk
would be great...
Thanks for the great suggestions.
Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC
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