Fiona and Pardee - I agree with Fiona about forgetting to suck sounding
strange ("furphy" is marvelllllous!). How can one forget an instinct?
Pardee's comment on July 2 about infants "needing" to suck in order to
help them organize was interesting. Brought to mind my first birth
experience. Of course, being the first time, I didn't really know what to
expect, and had a verrrry long transition (at one point, I distinctly
remember thinking to myself "Well, everyone, this has been a very
interesting experience, but the truth is, I've changed my mind about
wanting a baby, and I want to go home now". I actually started to get off
the table, or try to, and then was distracted by another contraction).
Anyhow, during this goofy transition, I remember making sucking motions
with my mouth (and I was NOT breastfed!). In other words, even when I was
27 yrs old, when everything was unravelling, I (instinctively?) started
sucking in an effort to organize! Forget how to suck? I personally doubt
it. Judy K