I have written about this before, but I think it is extremely
important to encourage mothers to keep at it, because *if they manage
to maintain a good milk supply*, the baby will usually take the breast
regardless of how the baby is being fed, between 4 and 6 weeks of age.
Often a change helps, so that if the baby is cup feeding, bottle
feeding, or, a nipple shield (not at 2 days of age, however) will
often precipitate that change; or, if the baby is being bottle fed,
then finger feeding, only at the beginning of a feeding, to settle the
baby and get him sucking properly, will often precipitate that change.

Finger feeding can be slow, so if it is, the mother should spend her
time increasing or maintaining her milk supply, not finger feeding.

Make sure the mothers see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC