Kathy Dettwyler,
The most persistent case of breast refusal I have ever seen was an infant fed
with the Avent bottle and nipple.  This baby took the breast exactly 3 times,
once with dripping milk down it with an eyedropper, once with an SNS, and once
with a nipple shield with the SNS tubing inside it.  He absolutely refused to
do any of the above again, though mom tried heroically for months.
        I have problems with this company's marketing techniques.  Their mail
order breastfeeding kit contains 2 nipple shields.  Of course every mother
intending to bf needs a shield for each nipple. (facetious, sarcastic
statement, folks.)  Aargh!  I discussed this issue with the principals of the
company, who were not interested in my view that unsupervised use of nipple
shields could be dangerous.
        I know some LC's like this nipple, but the problem with nipples is not
only their size, shape and action, but the fact that they are rigid and
preformed, and some infants become unable to form and draw the soft breast
into their mouth properly when exposed to rubber or silicone teats.  Do we
have any legal recourse against these outrageous advertisements?
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC   NYC  [log in to unmask]