To :   Brenda
Re :    Smell and infant refusal.

>        I have a Mom who has been BF fine for four months now and has plans
to keep
>BF to 1 yr. and beyond.  Yesterdaay her menstral cycle kicked in for the
>first time since she got pregnant.  The problem is, the baby absolutely
>refuses the breast.

        I know this sounds crazy,  but being from a rural ranching
background,  when we had cows die while breastfeeding their young,  it was
impossible to get a new cow to accept another infant.  When faced with this
problem,  we sometimes rubbed mentholatum ointment on both the cow's nose,
and also on the newborn calf.  Because the cow could not smell the calf,
they often permitted them to feed.  Kept up over a week or so,  the new cow
permanently accepted the newborn.  This is a common use of smelly ointments
in ranching country and works with many species of livestock.

        Who's to say it wouldn't work on this infant.

         Ok  guys... I'll stick to drugs,  and cows.

Tom Hale,  Rancher



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T.W. Hale, Ph.D.
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