Dear Friends,
One thing I have tried with non-latching babies, adoptive or not, is to 
work on paced bottle feeding in a breastfeeding position right next to 
the breast, usually in a cross cradle type of position.
For a few days I don't have the mother even try to breastfeed, just get 
the baby comfy being by the breast and feeding, usually with a my 
Breastfriend pillow to support the baby so the mom can really use her 
hands to fiddle with things but she can use anything as long as the baby 
is stable, tummy to tummy, and chin off the chest.
Mothers will most likely need a second pair of hands for this. Someone 
to manage the bottle while she manages the baby and the nipple shield.
I will then have the mother put on a nipple shield, preferably the 
German kind that is more like a bottle nipple, 22 mm cherry, 
http://www.mamivac.com/en/produkte/stillhilfen/praktisches/stillhuetchen.html 
and have the mother, *once the baby is in a good suck pattern*, slip out 
the bottle nipple out of the baby's mouth, slip in the nipple shield, 
and very important I think, keep the bottle right where it would 
normally be for bottle feeding so the baby thinks they are still bottle 
feeding.
It sounds crazy, and I didn't make this up by myself, it is built on the 
work of others except to use the cherry shield and keep the bottle next 
to the baby's face, but it works 75% of the time.
If the baby fusses, no big deal, slip out the shield out of the baby's 
mouth or if they have unlatched, refused to latch, just put in the 
bottle teat for some reward.
I think this is worth a try. I would suggest to try this once every 
other day or so and bottle feed the baby at the breast 3-4 times a day 
to get them used to it. If it is not working, stop doing it! Try for 
maybe five minutes to latch the baby to the breast.
As to the cherry shields, I have found they tend to work well with baby 
who has had a lot of bottles. These shields have a mouth feel that is 
more like a bottle nipple. They are expensive, and I only charge 
families for products that work, so it it doesn't work, I eat this cost. 
Because of this I don't use them as my first thing to try unless it is a 
this type of case. What I am trying to say, is for regular nipple shield 
use, I use the type of shield we are all use to.
Anyone else doing this? How is it going?
Finally, see Alyssa Schnell's book, Breastfeeding Without Birthing, and 
her website for great resources.
Thank you!

-- 

Barbara Robertson, MA, IBCLC, RLC
The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor
bfcaa.com


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