Ann--

I agree with your "basic human instincts" 100%!

Sometimes there is such a sense of urgency with the parents
that baby "get on" a bottle due to a looming deadline.
(like a dad "surprising" nursing mom for a  Valentines WEEKEND
away from six week old baby--true story)

In this particular case dad was SHOVING the bottle nipple
into baby's mouth at the end of his busy/stressfull day at work.
Needless to say between the time of day--"witching hour"
and an exhausted dad--this was the formula for disaster!
(sorry--no pun intended.)

Things became so bad (dad was forcing the bottle everyday
for almost a week) that the infant was beginning to refuse
to nurse! (Dad used the same hold for bottle feeding as mom
did for breastfeeding; I also believe that they're were huge
issues with dad and breastfeeding.)

I truly feel that the negative elements "surrounding" the feeding
of the bottle was what was causing the refusal.   I base this on
the fact that the negative "conditioning" was influencing
the nursing sessions.

Ann--I agree!  Thanks for letting me share your "Soap Box"!

Kathy Koncelik
BFPeer Support Counselor--LLLI
PPDoula


On Feb 29, 2004, at 12:28 PM, Ann Perry wrote:

> In a message dated 2/29/2004 10:18:27 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
> Naomi, you wrote:
>        "In general, even babies who refuse bottles will take them when
> there
> is no alternative and they are hungry."
> I agree with Dee.  I receive phone calls from mothers frequently
> stating that
> they were either told to with hold feeding the baby or heard it
> somewhere so
> that a baby would learn to take a bottle.
> If this method works, I don't believe the parents have developed a good
> relationship around feeding.  Babies remember negative experiences and
> with holding
> food when hungry is negative.
> My theory is that the refusal of taking a bottle is not revolved
> around the
> vessel but the circumstances around the situation.  Babies are very
> perceptive
> to what is going on around them and if they sense that something
> unpleasant is
> about to happen they will be unhappy and uncooperative.
> It could be the baby's memory of a forceful feeding earlier in their
> little
> life.  It could be the worried look on the parent's face as they give
> the
> bottle or the conversations in the house revealing the stress of the
> baby refusing
> to take a bottle.
> I tell parents that feeding needs to be pleasant and non-stressful.  I
> tell
> them to make it a game and lavish the baby with praises for every
> little effort
> they make towards taking the bottle or cup.
> I have no research to back my theories just common human instincts.
> What I
> find very interesting is that clinicians who suggest to parents to
> with hold
> food to their babies to "make them take a bottle" are the same ones
> who have a
> fit if a newborn goes more than 4 hours without nursing and therefore
> has to be
> supplemented with formula.  (Sorry, I will step off my soapbox now.)
> Trying to keep everyone happy and healthy.
> Ann Perry RN, IBCLC
> Boston, MA
>
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As always . . . .
        Wishing you all the best!
--K

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