Coach Smith discusses:
> Case in point: a 7-week old who needed to nurse almost constantly around the
> clock, very fussy, couldn't be put down, mom's milk supply dropping. The mom
> is very knowledgeable and experienced; birth was by C/S because baby was
> transverse. After careful examination, we discovered the baby had a very
> disorganized suck plus other subtle CNS problems caused by pre-birth
> position. Therapy by a skilled practitioner was needed to fix the soft
> tissue restrictions and relieve pressure on the membranes surrounding
> several of the baby's cranial nerves.
>
> Before we try to "quiet" babies who are unhappy, we should be carefully
> investigating WHY this baby is unhappy, and set about to fix the problem(s).
> Swaddling, jiggling, etc can cause a baby to "shut down" and shut up, but
> does not fix the underlying problem(s).
>
Linda,
In theory, I agree with you 100%. So, what's my problem? Well.... Dr.
Karp's suggestions seem to work well with just the type of baby you
describe here. Allow me to muse a little as to why....
I would suggest that a kid with the kind of problems you are describing
here is having a very hard time organizing. And, this is perhaps just
the baby who needs some help.... in the form of swaddling and other
calming strategies. Once calmed and organized I would expect better
suck, swallow, breath patterns.... and that is what I have seen in the
kids I am trying this with.
Also.... As a pediatric nurse, I see the 5 S's as a sort of "rule out"
technique. If the 5 S's don't calm and organize the baby (because the
research indicates they should) then we should definitely be looking for
deeper problems. And I think Dr. Karp agrees with us here. (The baby in
your case study, I believe, would have fallen in this category.)
I am a little bit concerned about the tendency of some of us LCs to
throw out this nice piece of research because we don't like one or two
points in the program. I have to agree that I was mortified to first
hear of the "arms down" swaddle.... because I have always swaddled with
arms bent, where baby could suck on them. But, you know what? There are
babies that the arms bent swaddle didn't work for. And they do better
with arms down. And if I get more quiet alert time for them, and better
suck/ swallow coordination ensues.... who am I to say I know better?
Just an old dog learning a few new tricks... and liking it!
Susan
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