Rob,

I think there are two minds on this - the English view is that NOTHING
should be in the baby's mouth except mom, so that they can experiment and
learn to get it right.

In the US (and even more in PR) LOTS of "bad" things have gone into the
baby's mouth - and I have found that if I get the baby to suck on my finger
for a while (I sometimes do it while getting a history of the mom or having
mom pump if her breasts are too full, or while calming mom and family down
enough by talking out their fears and frustrations) - and I mean over 5
minutes and with my finger "way" in so that I get the long, good sucks we
need for nursing - then I can often get the baby right on, and moms say to
me - "oh there wasn't anything wrong, was there?"
Then I point out that I have:
1 - let the baby know that not everything going into the mouth is negative
2 - taught the baby to let something in to the mouth (some babies have
terrible gag reflexes and I slowly introduce my finger until I have either
accustomed them or they have been desensitized).
3 - praised the baby when he/she opens wide, sticks out tongue, or allows
me to get further in
4 - massaged the tongue to stimulate the long, slow sucks we need.

Sometimes baby starts sucking well before I am done with the history - then
the history-taking stops and I get baby on, then continue talking.  Baby
Leads is my motto in all the mom-baby visits.

So - I am quite non-English in my approach, but it works for me.  Find out
what works best for you, and go for it!  The old LLL saying - take what is
useful and leave the rest -  is true for most of the "art of
breastfeeding".

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC, LLLL
mailto:[log in to unmask]
Project Director - Proyecto Lacta - Puerto Rico
http://netdial.caribe.net/~prlacta/
Lactancia Materna '98 - La Mejor Inversion