In the last 5 years I've had 3 babies who just refused to latch on - but NOT
the usual "I have trouble opening my mouth because of horrific labor" (they
opened WIDE) or "mom has no milk so why bother" (Mom's milk was POURING) or
"mom's nipple is so flat I get no stimulation" (only one, the latest, had
taut breasts and flat nipples).

They just crawl up to the breast, go to the nipple place mouth over the
nipple - and really don't suck at all.  They have not had pacifiers and
bottles were introduced as a result of low weight gain after a few days of
efforts to feed at the breast and using other methods at the breast that
didn't work, either - as the baby wouldn't suck there!

All three of these have had similar oral anatomy and I was wondering what
else to do - NONE ever successfully latched on although two had moms who
provided 100% of the milk they needed for many months.

All three had high palates with LOTS of rugae all the way back - not just
right behind the gumline.  (In writing this I did a google search and found
a study trying to see if a pattern of palate rugae was connected with clefts
of the soft palate: "The pattern of palatal rugae in submucous cleft palates
and isolated cleft palates" - but they were looking at people that had
already been diagnosed with clefts).

All three had no visible tongue-tie and tongue extended beyond the lower
gumline

All three also had difficulty initiating bottle feeding, though eventually
the parents learned how to feed the baby in what LOOKED like a "normal" way
- and took bottle nipple deeply, etc. AND babies would accept "paced bottle
feeding."

However they never latched on to the breast.

I did a suck check on the baby last night and also found he would not suck
my finger with or without milk stimulation...finally he did, and I DID feel
negative pressure, so I think there is no cleft ??? is that accurate?

Suggestions?  Ideas?

Mom is pumping and feeding but she really wants to BREASTFEED!

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
California, USA

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