LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
"Kermaline J. Cotterman" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 6 Jan 2001 20:28:30 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (50 lines)
Teresa writes:

<It does seem to me that some of these babies (as Lynn described) who not
only refuse the breast, but actively resist it by pulling back and
pushing
away from the breast may be in pain. Often when I talk to these mothers
they will tell me either that a vacuum extractor or forceps were used, or
that it was a very fast, precipitate labour.>

Good thoughts to consider, Teresa.

I also remember many babies acting this way when their mother's breast
was rock hard, especially in the case of mothers with an "A" cup. It was
as if they felt their face was up against an unyielding brick wall, which
was perhaps even interfering with their TMJ motion (which could also be
somewhat painful??).

In such cases, I was often able to turn the situation around by not only
softening the areola, especially in the plane of the nose and lower jaw,
but by creating a sort of "niche" for the baby to bury the chin in while
trying to compress with the lower jaw.

This was done after softening the areola itself, by starting from 1-2
inches beyond the areola in the area underlying the chin, stroking in the
direction of the nipple to move milk outward through the subareolar area.

This seemed to reduce the resistance of the breast in the area of the
baby's chin.  After this was done, (after we had patted and lulled the
baby out of the angry, resistant mood), in many instances, the baby was
able to get what I then referred to as a "good grasp" and just got right
down to business!

Though this was many, many years before someone named the concept
"latching" and described leading with the chin, in retrospect, it seems
compatible with those ideas.

Just one more avenue to assess for in individual cases.

Jean
*****************
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA (where it was finally above freezing for two days so I
could chance going to a car wash and hope my locks don't freeze tonight!)

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2