Hi Barbie - it sounds as if you have had some excellent ideas to encourage
the breast refusal baby to take the breast.  And some success, as shown by
the baby having breastfed several times since the initial strong refusal! In
the meantime, I think you are on the right track to suggest finger-feeding,
to keep the baby happy, sucking and well-fed.  If this were my client I
would continue to encourage her and follow-up every 2 - 3 days, and trust
that the times that the baby goes on to the breast "like a dream" will
increase in number, until she gradually "gets it".  I think sometimes, while
they are still learning, these difficult-to-latch babies simply *forget*
what to do, and have to be coaxed all over again - if feeding (hopefully
with breastmilk) can be kept as pleasant and hassle-free as possible, so
these sensitive little short-fused babies don't have to fight and scream,
and if the mother will see the value in continuing to offer the baby the
occasional chance to learn at the breast, then things come right in the end.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC, Harare, Zimbabwe (who had the great pleasure of
meeting Barbie in South Africa last July!)
[log in to unmask]

> I taught the mother and father
>finger-feeding and they fed the baby in this manner for about 48 hours - I
>saw the baby on the 1st Jan.   I put the baby to the breast and she took it
>like a dream.   The mother managed another 2 feeds like this and then the
>baby refused the breast again.   Saw the baby on the 2nd and once again took
>the breast like a dream - today, the 3rd - the baby has once again refused
>the breast.   ....  I find it puzzling that she takes the
>breast when I put her on and 2-3 after that and then back to the same old
>story...
>Barbie Currie. IBCLC. White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

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