>In all my years of doing this, I have never used an SNS to latch a
>nonlatching baby. The mechanics of the SNS require a latch to operate, thus
>baby must be latched to something, along with the SNS, to create the pressure
>gradient necessary.

I would have agreed, until a 5 week-old non-nurser some years ago.  *I*
could get him to latch, but the mom's flat-nippled, barely-colored, nearly
featureless hemispheres confounded the baby and mom alike.

When I had run out of tricks and mom was planning to quit trying, I said,
"Look, we have nothing to lose.  Let's try some wild and crazy things."  I
outlined some possibilities and she chose the least outrageous first - an
SNS for a non-latching baby.  The baby latched right on.  That little
whisker of tubing gave him a "latch here" tactile signal that perhaps had
been missing before.  It may have helped the mother orient, too.

It's some years later and I might try other things first, now (could a baby
self-attach to a nearly featureless breast??), but by golly it worked then.
They nursed for at least a year.

--
Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL  a week behind in Ithaca, NY
www.wiessinger.baka.com

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