Emily writes:

  "In talking to mom, baby was suctioned a lot before feeds and then fed 
by
  bottle as NICU staff told her baby could not go to breast because it 
would
 take too many calories, etc."

  It would not surprise me that the baby was "forced" to take a bottle 
in NICU, compounding the assault the baby had already experienced in 
being repeatedly suctioned. Further, the separation from mom would 
serve to reinforce defensive behaviors. I would not doubt that his 
mommy is much more responsive to his distress and less willing to force 
things on him than someone else might be.

 <snip>

  "In observing her, baby is very hypertonic and will not tolerate 
anything
  touching his mouth and does not root or open to fingertips. When we 
did get
  him calmed down by rocking and shooshing, he opened up for me but when 
I
  tried to evaluate him he screamed top of his lungs high pitched and 
had to be
  calmed again. After about 20 minutes he did finally accept my finger 
and no
  anomolies were found in his mouth but as soon as the pad of my finger 
hit the
 roof of his mouth he would spit it out and cry."

 This is no surprise, considering his experiences.

  "Mom has great let down and with baby calm and jsut laying in her arm 
mom
  was dripping milk and on occassion he would press his mouth to breast 
with no
  suck but did lick a time or two. If head was touched it would trigger 
problems
  and she basically had to jsut cradle him and allow him to find his 
way. He
  never latched but mom was much happier since he at least was not 
screaming."

  Has mom tried regressive co-bathing with this baby? I would put mom 
and baby in bath (no agenda!!) with Bach Rescue Remedy, (I would add 
star of bethlehem, rosk rose, mimulus and clematis, but RR is a good 
start and easy to find). Give baby the opportunity to go to breast of 
is own volition. I know sling-wearing was also suggested and I would 
certainly agree. I tell moms that they need to become opportunists--not 
try to nurse at "feeding time", but make the breast available all of 
the time)

  "His weight is fine as he does eat witht he bottles but does not like 
to either.
  Mom tried a shield, SNS, and we talked about finger feeding to put him 
back in
  control....what else can I do for this babe? Will finger feeding be a 
good
  transition or should I have her keep doing what we did until he 
decides to
  latch? I also talked to her about laying down with him and trying to 
feed when
 sleepy...thanks for the help."

  I recently had a babe who would not tolerate anything in his mouth and 
we were able to get him to feed from a Medela cup feeder--it removed 
the defensiveness he was experiencing with any attempt to bottle or 
finger-feed him.

  The most important intervention that can be done for this baby is CST 
or chiropractic. It is unlikely that there is one simple cause of his 
oral aversion and it is also unlikley limted to only his oral space. 
Whatever this baby has had to do to both compensate and defend hinself 
during his time in NICU, he probably has developed numerous structural 
restrictions and compensations in addtion to whatever may have been 
present in utero and at/during the birth. For example, babies can arch 
for many reasons, including an attempt to self-correct structural 
restrictions, physical discomfort, fear, neurological disorganization. 
There is incredible wisdom in their bodies and babies will always 
attempt to restore function, even if they have to compensate to do 
so--significant evidence of their competency! Nothing is more effective 
at releasing trauma than a combination of responsive, healing mothering 
and bodywork. Even if tincture of time will allow this baby to feed, it 
cannot release the compensations the baby has integrated, nor, IMO 
should this have to ahppen as we have an effective tool in CST.

 Jennifer Tow, IBCLC
 Intuitive Parenting, LLC
 CT, USA
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