A year ago I rented a pump to a first time mother of premature twins (6
weeks premature) who was incredibly laid back and incredibly determined.
The first twin (both were discharged around 5 weeks pp) latched about 7
weeks postpartum and was soon fully breastfed 'one day she started sucking
on everything and she was sucking on my shoulder so I thought I'd try her
on the breast...'. The second twin did not latch until FOUR MONTHS pp! This
Mom persisted with pumping, skin to skin, frequently putting to breast,
everything. (She bottle fed EBM meanwhile) She was amazed and delighted
when the 2nd twin latched - and SO happy to return the pump after five
months - 'I have so much time on my hands I don't know what to do'!!
 Of course, we can hardly go about saying, 'just wait 4 months or so and
Jr. will get it,' can we?!

Sad to say I didn't have the confidence to keep this up with my own first
son (a v. long story, #s 2 & 3 did OK tho'!) - but did experience that
amazing self-latch phenomenon where one day, after weeks of frustrated
bottle feeding I was lying with him on my belly feeling totally dispirited
and he just crawled up and latched (as in the self-attachment video). If
only I had known back then what he was about!! I do recommend Moms try
recreating the 'on-the-belly-after-birth-position' along with everything
else. It is my best memory of an otherwise disastrous nursing experience!

Anne Merewood