>>Thank you Maureen M. for your comments on chin forward attachment! I have
seen so many mothers who claimed their baby refused the breast immediately
resolve the problem by helping their baby get their chin in first with
pressure on the shoulders rather than the head.<<

I've just realized that I have probably been articulating this concept from a
slightly different perspective. My pet "trick" to use with moms and babes is
to elicit a wide gape, then "land" the lower lip and jaw just slightly ahead
of the upper lip. This has the effect of applying a little downward pressure
on the jaw, resulting in a wider latch and mouthful of breast. I have often
told moms that I "fold" the baby in, landing the lower jaw first, then a
brief microsecond later "folding" the rest of the head forward into the
breast.  I think that we are doing similar things here!

In addition, if normal targeting doesn't result in a properly symmetrical
latch, then I may purposely start the L-O from an "off" position. Have you
ever noticed that, when putting a pump flange on a mother, that you can
eyeball what looks like it should be correct but have the nipple poke off to
the side? And that you have to start "off" the bull's eye to get this mom's
nipple properly centered? Same idea!

Lisa Marasco, LLLL, IBCLC
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