Lactnetters, The proclamations of "no nipple confusion" distresses me.  I
posted on this topic a few months ago and I guess it will come up
periodically.  We WISH that there was no risk in giving a newborn a rubber
nipple, which is so easy to do and so "familiar" to us in our culture.  And
to say that it is no problem because every baby will go to breast after a
month or two or three of not having proper mouth movement, is IMO not
proving that it is no problem, but that it IS.  I know that every baby wants
to be at her mother's breast, and I have seen many frustrated babies longing
feed there but who can't do what it takes to accomplish this.  Just because
a baby can, in time, learn to draw in her mother's breast and feed well
doesn't show that there isn't nipple confusion (or suck confusion, if you
wish); in fact, it shows that there IS, and fortunately SOME babies can keep
trying until they get it right.  But MOST can't. Someone said that a baby
who WON'T nurse CAN'T nurse.  That's right, but why?  I believe firmly that
it is often due to those rubber nipples and what it takes to feed from them.

I had one client whose baby couldn't accomplish this transition.  The mom
pumped and gave a bottle for three months, offering the breast at each
feeding.  Finally one night at one a.m. baby latched on properly and nursed
from then on. Now, that DOES NOT tell me that there was not nipple confusion
but that there WAS. I can't use that case to neglect to work hard with
alternative feeding methods to help a baby as soon as possible to UNLEARN
what he didn't want to learn to begin with.

This all reminds me of the years of trying to return to childbirth with
mothers "awake and aware."  Remember that?  There couldn't possibly be a
problem with mothers mercifully being put "out" to give birth, because look
at all of the mothers who recovered fine and bonded fine and the babies who
were fine...

I am very glad that the people who are posting that their clients have NO
problems breastfeeding successfully after rubber nipples, are seeing such
success, but I am greatly troubled with the declaration that there is not a
problem with giving these interferers with the natural process of a baby's
feeding.  And I am not ready to believe that the babies in Milwaukee who
happen to be coming to see Pat Gima because they can't draw the breast far
back into their mouths and find a wave action with their tongues and do what
it takes to affect a MER are unique in all the world.

Yesterday, Tiny Thomas (just reached 5# after four weeks of fattening up)
was unable to latch on after feeding well at the breast on Tuesday and
Wednesday for the first time.  What happened?  In the night Wednesday, when
everyone was tired and he didn't seem to get enough to go back to sleep, dad
gave a bottle of ebm. and then more after the next feeding. Now he has
forgotten again how to do all it takes to get that wonderful feeling that he
does want.  Don't tell me that there isn't any such thing as nipple confusion!

Unfortunately,I won't be able to follow this thread further except on
Archives after I return from vacation.  I am going NO MAIL for a while.  I
will greatly miss my morning(usually 5-6 am) "fix" of Connection.

Pat Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee