I learn a lot from the moms I see, as an LC or a La Leche League Leader - and often use their comments/statements to teach others.

For example - at a League group a few years ago, a mom who was taught "laid back breastfeeding" (meaning - get yourself comfortable, let the baby lead and you follow) was thrilled to see that when she didn't take charge, her baby would!  This led her to state:
"I'd been trying to bottle feed with my breast!"

This was an "Ah-HA" moment for ME!

Yes, in the 70's we had sore nipples, but rarely had babies who refused the breast - now we were having lots of babies who were refusing to breastfeed!  

Moms were describing nurses "shoving" babies onto their breasts and LCs who they described as "she's great  she got the baby on!"  (Which I found meant that baby could only breastfeed when the LC was there to feed her baby with mom's breast!)

One of our WIC Nutrition Assistants stresses shoulders as Virginia mentioned - she gives back rubs and encourages tensing and releasing the shoulders.  She has some great results hardly concentrating on the breast/nipple/baby!

Yes, "position" is not the be-all or end-all - it is ONE of the pieces of information we need to use as LCs - all our senses (including 2x the listening and 1/2 the talking) and a "sixth sense" of how mom is feeling can get us to the "best response" more quickly than trying this, that, and the other in a shotgun fashion...

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC
California, USA

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