> Date:    Tue, 2 Jul 1996 09:16:42 -0400
> From:  Jan Barger <[log in to unmask]>

> Toby says,

> >But I have had the baby who once he has put his mouth
> >around an bottle nipple will not go back. this can be very
> painful. I often
> >wonder if sometimes this is an ambivalent mother and the baby
> picks up on
> >this.


> And I've often wondered if part of it isnt' the way the mother
> "feels" to the
> baby when she bottle feeds -- she relaxes, and isn't working
> at it so hard,
> so baby feels as though this must be the way to go.

I certainly agree. I think those moms who are very uptight breastfeeding
communicate that to their babies who also get uptight and fussy. Once
when my husband, Doug, was holding our first baby and talking to a
relative Evan suddenly began to scream. I took Evan away and he settled
very quickly. Doug had gotten very angry during the conversation and Evan
picked it up immediately even though I could not tell anything was
happening just by watching them. And babies are usually closer
emotionally to their moms and presumably pick things up even easier from
them.

> Both my girls could
> switch back & forth without difficulty; Timothy, bless his
> boy-type-genes,
> would have NEVER gone to the breast if we had given bottles.....

> Jan Barger

I always figured boy-type-genes would mean they'ld prefer the breast to
anything else. : )  Evan certainly seemed to. But also Alanna hated
bottles and eventually was only persuaded after much effort to take a
sippie cup of EBM at 6 months or less. ( I had to go back to work at
three months. ) Much trouble for my husband who was looking after her.

Karen Cunningham M.D., C.C.F.P.
London, Ontario
email at [log in to unmask]