Linda:

I'm not sure it's only the epidurals that interfere with sucking.  I'm
currently working with two Birth Center babies, products of unmedicated
births, who are being fed by SNS and finger feeding or bottle and not
sucking particularly well on either.  I commented to my midwife the
other day that I can't remember a worse year for breastfeeding in our 16
years at the Birth Center.  Interesting, isn't it.

The first baby of this month started out very hypertonic and fought the
breast.  In addition he latched on after birth and immediately produced
bruises which subsequently became open abrasions.  I saw them at 6 days
and found really flat nipple on one side and an inverted one on the
other.  The mom would pull the nipples out and then the baby would latch
on, the nipple would slide in and he would chew on the damaged part of
the areola. Also, it took me 35 minutes to get him to latch well enough
to have audible swallow.

He looked like he'd lost weight and I had them come to mom's group the
next day.  When we weighed him he'd lost 21 ounces in 6 days.  The mom
has good milk supply and is pumping and feeding mostly EBM.  He's gained
weight but really refuses to latch well on the breast or bottle.  He's
fed with SNS and finger and suck is improving.  I'd appreciate any
suggestions for this mom, who really wants to get to the breast.

TIA,

Sue Samuels