In a message dated 4/4/2006 7:31:02 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Tamara  
writes: "In my experience I see one and two day old babies suckling only on the  
tip of the nipple shield and giving the mother no or very little breast  
stimulation and then the baby doesn't eat and learns how to suckle incorrectly.  
Mothers then thinks the baby is eating which is dangerous."

 
I think this requires education, not labeling the tool itself as  bad.  I see 
babies learning incorrect latch and suck  with direct  breastfeeding too!!  
We fix shield use the same way we fix breastfeeding  directly -- with education 
and practice for mom and instruction on how to know  baby is getting enough.  
 
I see moms using their pump wrong after the staff started it during the  
night.  I don't discontinue the pump and label it as a bad tool, I teach  correct 
use and have the mom practice.  I don't take the pump away from the  staff 
use. I use creativity to try teaching  the staff nurses yet  again how to use the 
pump correctly because I don't want moms and babies to have  to wait until 
the next LC visit.  Any tool used incorrectly has the  potential for problems.  
That doesn't mean we shouldn't use the tool.   It is why a skilled IBCLC 
should also see mothers in addition to the  regular nursing staff and provide 
on-going staff education.
 
And, there are times when a baby can't maintain latch and suck well  even 
with the help of a correctly used shield.  That's when I agree  that it is time 
to adapt the plan again and do something else!
 
Natalie Shenk, BS, IBCLC
Findlay Ohio





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