Friends,

This is a pretty simplistic counseling technique for moms with very sore
nipples, but I've found that it works really well to put the mom at ease and
open up for productive discussion.  When we're discussing proper positioning
and attachment, I explain that it is normal for her to have some fear and
mixed feelings about feeding.  I say something like, "Your brain is telling
you to do two opposite things at once.  Your right brain says, no, don't put
the baby on the breast, it hurts! It's protecting you from being in pain.
But your left brain says, I'm a mom, my baby needs me, I have to feed my
baby, I want to feed my baby."  The light bulb goes off and I usually hear,
"Yes!  That's exactly it!"  Then we can talk about how mom wants to
proceed---does she want to try putting the baby to breast armed with her new
knowledge about positioning and attachment, or is she more comfortable
expressing for a day or two?  Would a combination of the two work?  What kind
of healing techniques is she most comfortable with (breastmilk, Lansinoh,
hydrogels?)  Of course, what kind of technique I'm most comfortable with
matters, too!  I think it's just part of letting the mom make her own
informed choices.

Barbara Ash, IBCLC

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