LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Susan Burger <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 4 Jan 2016 07:56:46 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (15 lines)
The question about references for Latch Assessment is a good reminder to ask one of my trainees for the original source for the talk she attended at last year's ILCA conference.  Apparently the Latch Assessment tools are not good at predicting nipple pain.  I had asked her to look into articles that validate these tools and she did not find any that really solid evidence.  

Having had far too many parents report that someone visually assessed their latch and it "looked good" who suffered through pain for weeks because they thought that they had sensitive nipples, I think the most important lesson for anyone working with latch is to ask about pain levels.  My approach is to stand back and watch and look at the parent's whole body and see what body parts look tense and which look relaxed.  The same for the baby.  Then I start gently touching and moving body parts and asking "Does this feel better or worse". Touching enables me to feel the tension in a body part and feel when that body part relaxes - which is helpful for noticing tension in the parent's body that may not be verbally expressed and of course for noticing tension in the baby.  Calibrating until the lowest possible pain levels and highest level of relaxation are achieved - not just on the nipple - but all body parts.  Through this process I have discovered that while many more instructional materials include back position, the position and support of wrists and elbows are almost universally ignored in any materials that are about latch and these two areas are really vital to include in the mix.  

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome

ATOM RSS1 RSS2