Rachel, I worked with a baby who was 3mos when he was introduced to breast
(mom had 2 yr old twins she had pumped for, and was intending to pump for this
singleton, but when faced with reality of toddler twins, decided to get 3 mo
old to breast)- this little guy thought the breast was a foreign item, had no
rooting reflex left and was totally perplexed when faced with it.
Mom and I discussed "learning environments" and decided she would feed babe
with bottle for nutrition, and approach breastfeeding as a "new bike to pedal",
with no pressure on him, or herself. She would bathe with him, sleep with
him, lay him in her lap and play with breast at his mouth-ONLY when he was
well-fed and happy.She would  also lean over him and squirt milk in his mouth for
him to sip, etc.
5 weeks went by, and he would not suckle, but laugh and play with her.
Then suddenly one day he latched on and drank for about 3 minutes- mom called
me sooo excited, and happy if that was all he wanted to do every day- BUT 2
days later, he was mostly breastfed, then a week later he was fully- went on to
nurse over 18mos.
So he taught me some new things, and I now believe with patience and a ready
supply, a babe can learn anytime to nurse- really why not, when they can learn
to bottle-feed and cup-feed anytime.
Lucia Jenkins RN, IBCLC
Wakefield, Mass

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