Rachael wrote:
>Haberman feeder (a specially-designed bottle with a sort of spout at
>the end).

Haberman feeders are a specially designed bottle with a one way valve
separating the nipple from the main portion of the bottle.  The nipple is
also specially designed with a slit instead of a hole.  This allows milk
flow to vary according to the orientation of the slit in the baby's mouth.
If it is oriented vertically (nose to chin) milk flow will be easy and fast
with minimal tongue action, if it is oriented on a slant (thus / or \  )
milk flow will be slower and require more tongue action.  If it is oriented
horizontally, milk will not flow even with vigorous sucking and/or tongue
action.  Sucking alone will not result in milk flow regardless of orientation.

This allows the Haberman to be an effective tool for training breastfeeding
friendly behaviors on the part of the baby.   The tongue must be used and
the flow can be varied according to the training and/or feeding assistance
needed by baby.

I have had good success using the Haberman in selected cases where bottle
feeding was required of a breastfeeding baby.  Please note the "required"
may have been that the parent, doctor or hospital refused or floundered with
other alternative feeding methods.
When I use it to train or maintain breastfeeding like behaviors I instruct
the feeder (parent or hospital staff) to let the baby suckle with the slit
in the horizontal orientation for a time at the start, then to simulate a
let down with a slanted orientation, maybe even very briefly in the vertical
orientation.  I also instruct them to periodically return to the no or low
flow position(s), simulating the periodic changes in flow of milk from the
breast.   Baby learns to suckle for a time before milk flows, to cope with
variable flow and to lift his/her tongue to obtain milk.

Sometimes Habermans are used to assist flow to a baby who can't obtain
enough milk but that is not the use I am talking about in this posting.

I've come to really appreciate the Haberman as an alternate feeding method.
Like all methods other than direct breastfeeding, it has it's drawbacks
(long hard thing in baby's mouth being the chief one) but it has it's place too.

Carla