I just received a phone call from the mother of an eight month old baby
"crying inconsolably."   He wouldn't nurse.

I asked her to do what I have asked many moms to do:   Put a few drops of
room warm olive oil in his ear so the weight of the oil could equalize the
pressure of an ear infection.   (It's never an ear infection;   Remember,
these are all breastfeeding babies!)

Then, sit in a nice warm bath together and nurse to see if this quiets
stomach cramps.   After drying off from the bath, walk around the house and
then walk outside and then back inside and then outside and back in again.
All the while trying to get the baby to nurse some more.

Most babies this age will smile a little, nurse a lot, smile a little more
cry, nurse and fall asleep in their mothers' arms.

My impression is that the above routine (a little like the five S's) will
help to differentiate between a baby who is uncomfortable or mildly ill and
in need of more nursing and cuddling from a baby with a more significant
problem requiring an exam by me.

Jay Gordon


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