I have helped two mothers in the past week (I am not an IBCLC--yet--so
I don't do many home visits/in-person helping sessions) who have
rather large breasts and were both very reluctant to actually handle
their breasts. Mother 1 had twins, one 5#, the other 4,7#, and she had
flattish nipples. The other had a singleton, 7#, with fairly prominent
nipples. Mother #2's baby was very eager to latch, had something good
to grasp onto, but even still her breasts were large enough that it
was difficult for him to stay on the nipple without support of the
breast. Mother 1 was using a nipple shield, had sleepy, ineffective
nursers, and was reluctant to even hold the shield in place.

My experience has been that it has been more useful to describe
holding the breast so that the nipple/areola forms a shape that is in
line with the baby's mouth rather than a U or a C. That way, no matter
what position they are in, the baby should be able to take in a larger
amount of breast. However, all this assumes that the mother is willing
to hold on to her breast!

I am wondering if there is a way to encourage moms to feel confident
in actually handling their breasts? Both of these mothers were not
first time moms--#1 had nursed one child previously for well over a
year and #2 did not nurse her other two children. So, it doesn't seem
like it it would be an issue of inexperience or modesty per se, though
perhaps it was. I did get the sense from #1 that most of the year she
spent nursing was done somewhat "in the closet" as she seemed
uncomfortable "confessing" that she had nursed beyond a year.

Has anyone else experienced this reluctance to handle one's breast?

Gina--midwifery student, newly returned to the list, hoping to take
the IBCLC exam in 2008, and volunteer with LLL.

--
Gina Gerboth
719-562-0262
719-369-4368 (cell)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming soon...
La Leche League of Colorado/Wyoming
Health Care Professional Seminar:
The Science Behind the Timeless Art
October 19-20, 2007
Denver, Colorado
Call me for more information!


On 7/12/07, Anne Grider <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> If mother can see her nipple and the areola has been softened, I prefer that
> mother not use any hold on her breast because she tends to move the breast
> out of natural alignment. It may then be difficult for the baby to keep the
> breast an inch or two off if mom loses her hold. If she needs to use a "U"
> hold, she needs to first put her elbow down, which she can only do if she
> moves away from the arm of the chair. These lovely gliders that most moms
> buy today are too narrow for mom to use a "U" hold.
> Anne Grider, IBCLC
>

> >
> > I agree with what Linda said about the "U' hold vs.
> > the "C" hold. In practice, though, I find that some
> > mothers have a difficult time grasping how to do the
> > "U" hold. For these moms, I find the football hold
> > often works better - they can use the "C" hold of
> > their breast that they are familiar with and feel
> > comfortable with, and still compress the breast in a
> > way that makes it easier for the baby to latch.
> >
> > Judie Gibel, RN, MSc, IBCLC

>


-- 
Gina Gerboth
719-562-0262
719-369-4368 (cell)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming soon...
La Leche League of Colorado/Wyoming
Health Care Professional Seminar:
The Science Behind the Timeless Art
October 19-20, 2007
Denver, Colorado
Call me for more information!

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