Hi everybody!  My teaching hint:  In an effort to reinforce the idea that
there are many ways to give needed supplements to babies other than with a
bottle, I  use my five-finger visual aid.  I hold up my hand and say there
are at least five alternate ways to feed a baby without giving a bottle which
could cause nipple confusion.  Counting them off on my upheld hand, I name:
eye dropper, feeding or dental syringe, spoon, cup, and SNS finger feeding.
 I then describe and illustrate with a doll how some hospitals are cup
feeding babies as small as three and four lbs. with little cups.  Parents are
usually surprised to hear how cup feeding actually works well, and my goal is
to empower them to use an alternative if the necessity comes up. I also think
it is important to explain carefully in a prenatal BF class that *no bottles*
does not necessarily mean no supplement if medically indicated, only that an
alternate feeding method can and should be considered.  What I would really
like to see is a poster listing alternate feeding methods on the wall of
every newborn nursery- hey Debbie and Kathy at the Navel Hospital- now how
much resistance do you think there would be for that?  Lots, I'm sure!
 (Note: I was the originator of the LLLI Kiwanis poster, and in retrospect I
really wish we had added this information.)  Sue Jacoby, IBCLC