A few months ago I was working with a new mom whose baby had been born
practically sucking his thumb. He had it in the mouth all the time right from
birth. He didn't want to latch on and kept trying to put his thumb in there
with the breast. We were frustrated but I decided to try rubbing his thumb
while he breastfed to see if it would calm him down and relax him enough to
nurse. Thankfully, it worked! As I rubbed his little thumb he latched on and
nursed like a champ. Mom and I laughed about Dad having to stay home to rub the
baby's thumb so that he could eat! After a few days he got used to the breast
and we didn't have to do it anymore.
Its just one baby story but it had a happy ending...................
Ann Calandro,RNC,IBCLC
Waxhaw, NC