Hi Christine and Pam and everyone

 

How much you need to tell really depends on the mother in my opinion.  I
find that use phrases like "one of women's best kept secrets is the special
feelings that they get when holding naked baby against their naked chest" 
while watching for the mums response.  Their response determines how much
and the type of information.  Some like to know the ins and outs but for
others this can create barriers.  

 

When  suggesting skin to skin, I was wondering what position you suggest
that the baby begins with?  When the baby starts on the abdomen so that bubs
head is low between the breasts and is given the opportunity to decide which
breast and directs their own feeding, I find that feeding is enjoyable and
pain free for mum.  It is my experience that the baby needs time to decide
to suckle and and also work through the prefeeding sequence of behaviours -
nuzzle, lick and massage.  To be able to work through this at bubs own time
seems critical for optimal feeding imprinting and can be done at any stage
after birth even if things have gone badly (e.g. Midwife or mum putting
hands on the back of the head or lots of interventions in labour).  In fact
it is so powerful that mums who experience pain have most frequently report
pain free feeds once their bub is given opportunity to go through prefeeding
behaviours and self direct their feeding.   Such an approach is not going to
create any problems, nor is a danger to mother and baby.  When allowing baby
to lead the breastfeeding in this way, I find that there is no need to use
technical words or phrases such as "asymmetrical latch/attachment"



Using term such as "asymmetrical latch/attachment" can help us describe
thing to each other, but we are in danger of making making breastfeeding
become like a medical procedure (do this then this) rather than the
instinctive and innate dance that it is.   Everyone will dance it a little
differently but every baby has the right to dance it with mum supporting.  I
personally now avoid the terms "positioning" and "attachment/latch" as it
implies that mother positions and does things so that baby will latch.
Instead I use "optimal/ideal breastfeeding environment" that mother creates
so that the baby can go through its innate and instinctive behaviours .   We
need to learn to believe in the words "its not how it looks but how it feels
,  "baby is born to breastfeed"  and "baby that does not breastfeed can not
breastfeed"  

 

Pam thank you very much for sharing your experience.  I agree with you 100% .  One of the great things about Lactnet is that in sharing our experience we all get can grow as professionals.

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