I have had a case this week that breaks my heart and makes me scratch my head. I firmly believe that, sometimes breastfeeding success is just the luck of the draw. Like the mom with large flat nipples that gets the baby with the small mouth and high arched palate. And it's her first. Just the
set of circumstances can sometimes be the most crucial determiner of whether a baby will ultimately be breastfed or not. Yes, I know there are moms that will go to any lengths to work things out, but sometimes that doesn't even work! The mom I saw this week has an almost 2 mo. old whom I saw after
delivery. My notations were that baby latched and fed great the first time I saw them. The next day he was circ'd and after that, he would only scream. We couldn't get him to latch at all after that, and they went home that day, figuring he would come out of it, since he had done so well before.
Now, almost 2 months later, he still will not nurse. She pumps and gives him her milk in a bottle when she is worn out with trying to get him to latch and he is beside himself screaming. I was called in to clinic to see her after she came in to see if she had a breast infection (she doesn't). The
NP called because the baby would only scream when they tried to put him to breast. This poor mom has tried all the suggestions (except honor the baby) and has attended LLL meetings, where all were baffled by his behavior. She is also extremely patient but admits she may not want any more kids after
this experience. Mom has truly tried her best!
What I saw when I entered the room was a baby who is so angry over the whole thing that not only did he scream when you put him anywhere close to nursing position, he wouldn't even look at mom! It was so startling to see his eyes go anywhere but her face no matter what position she put him in, even
face to face! He obviously had breast aversion, but it has continued for so long with the repeated attempts that the relationship itself has suffered harm! I explained all this to mom (in more gentle terms, of course) and offered suggestions for repairing the relationship, restoring his trust
before she even thinks about trying to put him to the breast! I told the NP and Ped of my observations and suggestions, and both admitted that they had noticed the baby doing this, but hadn't thought anything of it! I reassured mom that she has done everything we advise moms to try in her
situation, they just didn't work with her baby! What a sad state of affairs for her! This is a stark illustration of the 'screw the lightbulb in' technique of putting baby to breast. The key ingredient has to be respect for the baby! I am now reconsidering my sometimes offered phrase for parents
after their baby boys are circ'd and they "shut down" and/or won't nurse for several hours. I usually say (in an effort not to create guilt over a deed already done) "he'll get over it soon and be back to nursing normally". I don't have that confidence anymore!
Marsha, who is still seeing new things after 20 years!
Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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