Thanks to all who sent suggestions for the baby (twin, born December 18,
1998 at 34 weeks' gestation) who was on again-off again, shaking his head
as if searching for the nipple, coming off even when latch looked good.
The mom was very grateful for all the help you offered.

Day by day this baby is doing better, and mother was able to nurse both
twins together for the first time today.  Both stayed latched on and
nursing well for a full 20 minutes!  This even gave her a little time to
clean up, she says!  She is reading through "The Womanly Art of
Breastfeeding,"  using the nipple shield provided at the hospital only at
those times when he and she are getting too frustrated with trying to get
him to stay on, (decreasing), and decreasing the night time bottles.  She
is giving breastmilk in the bottles and ignoring the 2 cases of formula she
was given at hospital discharge.  (And this is a mother who wanted to
breastfeed exclusively because of a family history of asthma).  So bit by
bit, things are improving.

We are under about 15 inches of snow here, with temperatures hovering
around the zero degree fahrenheit mark, so there is no incentive for her to
get outside.  Dad has taken 2 months off from work, and they are all nicely
nesting in together.



Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC and LLL leader in Madison, Wisconsin
mailto:[log in to unmask]