My crankiness over the Atlantic article, that may influence my tone a bit over the 
Stanford video.

Why would you ever make a woman feel pain as a teaching tool?  It is not necessary to 
MAKE a woman feel pain in order to teach her how to attach a baby.  I stopped watching 
at that point.

Here's what I see needs improvement in that video.

It should start with having the mother attach the baby herself ---- with the practitioner 
hands off observing and asking how it feels to the mother.  If if feels good to the mother 
AND the baby is swallowing well, the two should be left alone.  If it does not, then the 
practitioner should ask the mother to describe in her own terms, what feels wrong -- and 
take it from there.

The first image, however, is the practitioners hands squeezing the breast with two dots 
that are NOT assymetric.  I don't use dots and have never used dots because any hold on 
the breast is highly individual for mother and baby.  I have seen mothers effectively use 
a sideways V hold with thumbtip pointed at the nose and fingers gently cupped 
underneath, three fingers with the middle finger pointed at the nose and NO fingers 
underneath the breast, knuckles deeply presssing into the breast with the middle knuckle 
pointed at the nose and the split fingers with the finger tips on the edges of the nipple 
ALLL EFFECTIVELY tilting the nipple up. I long ago abandinged "C- and U-holds" in favor of 
watching moms and using the natural comfortable position of their hands and the baby's 
response to determine whether a breast hold is needed and if so which one works better.  

Furthermore, the baby's chin is tucked and the baby is not snuggled in close to the mom.  
I still remember the video that Diane Wiesseninger (sorry Diane -- I can never spell your 
name correctly) showed of a fawn stretching its neck out which was the only way it would 
feed. Within a week, we took our son to the Museum of Natural History for a Predator 
show where an abandoned bear cub that was being fed in the same way --- draped prone 
over the arm with its neck on the wrist and jaw supported.  Having the baby's chest in 
closer touching mom with the arms relaxed around the breast and the neck resting 
against the breast typically makes for calmer more effective feedings.

Then, again the practitioners hand is in the classic death grip around the baby's neck with 
fingers and thumb forcefully gripping the cheeks--- with the forceful push that ends up 
with the predicted result the NOSE in the breast.  Who cares if the nostrils flare enough to 
breath.  If the nose is smooshed into the breast, that means the jaw is not deep and it is 
very easy for that jaw to slide up unseen on the nipple. I have seen far too many babies 
react negatively to what I have long called the death grip.  Babies are usually are more 
relaxed if moms fingers and thumb are really relaxed.

But really, the main issue I have is the thought that you should induce pain in a patient to 
teach them not to do something wrong.  I see no benefit to that whatsoever.  

Best, Susan Burger

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