Angela writes:
"If a baby is reluctant to suck on a mother's breast, she stimulates
the
suck spot with her finger until the baby starts to suck on her
finger for a
few minutes.  Then she places baby to breast.  Sometimes this works,

sometimes not.  I cannot find anything in the literature which
suggests
this practice.  I was under the impression that anything other than
mother's breast in the baby's mouth should be discouraged.  HELP!  I
am
confused by this and want to educate my colleague but want to make
sure I
am accurate in my education/practice before I say anything."

Also, Pamela commented on a baby who was confused by sucking on
Dad's knuckle.

This is not an exact science!  That is one hitch to trying to have
totally evidence-based practice.  Each mom/baby couplet, heck-even
each feeding with an individual couplet, can be quite different.
What works with one doesn't work with another.  There are general
guidelines, and in some cases some difinite proven principles, that
we need to use as the basis of our practice.  For example, the fact
that anything except mom's breast in baby's mouth carries some risk
of confusion and the possible sequelae of that.  Therefore, we first
try approaches that avoid putting our fingers in a baby's mouth.
However, sometimes we cannot get the info we need or influence what
a baby does without doing so.  Angela's colleague has an approach
that can work with some babies, but with others it might contribute
to the problem.  As a result, it probably should not be the first
intervention when a baby is reluctant to latch.  However, after
other approaches have not worked and if baby is going longer and
longer time without some progress, then it might be the answer.  I
think of it as a heierarchy of interventions or the "A" list, then
if that doesn't work we go to the "B" list (and sometimes even
further down the alphabet!).  It is important for parents to
understand this also.  Frequently when they hear different
suggestions from various people they see it as comflicting info.
Sometimes it is, but other times it is suggesting of alternate
approaches, especially if the first approach isn't working.  When
discussing getting a baby to take a bottle as when mom is
approaching her return to work date, I usually say, "If what you're
trying isn't working, try the opposite!  For example, some babies
will take food any way they can get it when they are hungry while
with others the hungrier they are, the less willing they are to try
something unfamiliar."

Winnie

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