Lactnetters, please forgive that I am posting when it has been over a year since I contributed anything to the list. I frequently glean wisdom from this group, but I have searched the archives without finding anything relevant in this particular case. I would be grateful for any experience you can share. I had a mom call me a couple of weeks ago with an unusual problem. Her 4 month old baby has nursed only when he is asleep since he was 4 weeks old. At first I assumed that mom was saying that he had bottles when he was awake and that she nursed him at night only. After talking further with mom I came to understand that the baby really only nurses when he is asleep, not sleepy, and that baby only recently attempted bottlefeeding which was not very successful. After observing baby I got mom's permission to post to this list. Here is the story in as small a nutshell as I can fit it. Baby is a term male born 3/22/05. Mom planned to BF at least two years. Mom remembers baby getting one bottle in the hospital which she found out about after the fact. Baby nursed well until 4 weeks old, then would latch only if he was asleep. Mom is convinced that she must have done something at this point which "scarred" the baby because she can't think of anything unusual happening around that time. Now baby takes sbout 5 naps a day because he will really only nurse when asleep. In my office I observed baby trying to latch as he got sleepy. He went to the breast with a wide open mouth looking eager to nurse but would turn away just before latching. Baby never did fall asleep at the visit. Baby is thin but not at all gaunt. Ped is okay with weight gain which has averaged about 3 oz/wk from lowest weight after birth. Baby is alert, engaged, and very active. Seems ahead of his peers in motor development. Baby takes two "real" naps per day. The others are just catnaps which mom uses to get feedings in, and wakes him shortly after he nurses. Mom really needs to go back to work and is worried about baby being in someone else's care because of the way he feeds. Mom has only her husband and one other relative in this area. These are the things that mom has tried-- bottles, when she's not around; nursing in the bathtub, walking, standing,etc; attempting to latch baby early a.m. for feeding before waking; attending LLL mtgs where baby sees other babies nursing. I have suggested that mom begin trying a cup. She feels very strongly that baby should get breastmilk until 2 y/o and is hesitant about starting solids before 6 months. I have suggested that she try to have baby sit with her or her husband for meals to try to encourage an interest in solids by the time he is 6 mos old. Mom's ped has told her that he has had one other baby who would only nurse when asleep, and has tried to reassure her that he is not worried. I've never seen this extreme before. The bottom line is that mom is really convinced that she caused this somehow. She was very appropriate with the baby in the office and displayed a good knowledge of normal development. She was referred to me after seeing the LC at the hospital where she gave birth and contacting the organization in this area that screens for developmental delays. At this point the main issue is mom's feeling that she has caused this problem although I'm sure she would love to have the baby at breast and BF normally. Mom had to jump through some serious hoops to come to see me in an adjoining city. Any thoughts anyone? Baby will be 5 months old 8/22/05. I am currently no mail so will be checking the archives or you may e-mail me directly at [log in to unmask] Thanks and sorry it's so long! Amy Stallings BSN, RNC, IBCLC Georgia, USA (where the temp is 100 degrees with a real feel of 113 degrees!) *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html