The discussions about flat nipples have been most interesting.  In taking
the "big picture" approach, it seems that many people are opting for not
mentioning same lest such mention infer that breastfeeding will be
harder/more difficult and/or that mother will become discouraged.

However, it is important to note that there are times when knowing about a
potential barrier can empower a mother to deal with it appropriately.  Then
there are the times when flatness is a consequence of medical intervention
(as when a mother gets lots of fluid IV and has flat nipples as a result of
the excess fluid in her tissues).

Knowing that flat nipples do NOT prevent breastfeeding can be a piece of
EMPOWERING information for any mother who (without having had them before)
discovers transient flatness in the early hours/days postbirth.

Knowing that flat nipples do NOT prevent breastfeeding should not prevent
us from fully informing women.  HOW we go about it is the key, isn't it?

So much for my most recent soapbox....gotta get down, losing oxygen fast...

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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly
disguised as impossible situations."
Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask]
WEB PAGE: http://www.telcomplus.net/kga/lactation.htm
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