Val,
What's this baby's *tone* like? I wonder if it is a problem of poor tone, or a problem of needing calories?
As for calories, expressing and using a tube device to supplement at the breast (Supply Line or a cheap, do-it-yourself model) sure beat a bottle anytime. Artificial teats are best avoided, as none of them provides an identical oral experience to the real thing, and there appears to be a tendence to use them longer, compared with other interventions.
IF this baby has poor tone, and the upper lip situation suggests that is a possibility, an assessment is in order. If it is *just* the one side of the upper lip which is atonal, local stimulation of this may help (I well remember one such baby). However, from the rest of what you said, I suspect a full examination of the baby should be done - neurologist, or speech pathologist, or both. Meantime, it is important to make sure the baby is getting calories, which might not be happening with the sleepiness and poor tone. I would suggest:
- switching sides repeatedly, i.e. 3-4 "sides" per feed
- feeding tube device for supplementing while at the breast
- local stim. of the problem side of the upper lip
- a neurological assessment (but get those calories in, in the meantime)
- adjusting attachment/latch, so that the baby can feed as efficiently as possible
- using "dancer's hand" technique to support the baby's chin and lessen the energy he needs to use ("dancer's hand", without a name at that stage, has been round in Queensland since at least the early 1940s, and I was taught it in 1965).
- lots of reassurance of the mother
I'm sure you'll get lots of other helpful suggestions from other Lactnetters, a generous group of people.
All the best in helping this mother-baby duo.
Regards,
Virginia [log in to unmask]
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