Kathy asked about a technique of "jackknifing"  a baby  to wake it
up.  This is called Valsalva's maneuver and it causes forced
exhalation against a closed glottis, with the resulting intrathoracic
pressure interfering with venus return to the heart.  The jacknifing
technique that has sometimes been recommended to wake babies up is
sometimes called a modified Valsava's maneuver.

I an extremenly wary of this or any procedure which can effect
venous pressure.  I attended an excellent presentation on gentle care
of the newborn by Gene Cranston Anderson at Georgetown a few years
ago. She produced evidence that increased blood pressure through
energetic crying (and I think she said Valsalva's too) in the first
week of extrauterine life may cause blood to shunt through the
foramen ovale at the time it is closing, leading to incomplete
closure.

Lets be kind to babies.  Teach mothers of sleepy babies to watch for
mouthing signs during sllep and feed then.  Keep the baby close to
the naked breast, eg bedding in with mother round the clock like they
do in Thailand, and I'll bet there will be a lot more episodes of the
baby spontaneously latching on.

Ros Escott BAppSc IBCLC
Tasmania, Australia