Re: Joan Fisher's query about negatrive experiences.

I see the head pushing all the time. Whenever I have asked mother where she
learned that, she mentions that a nurse in the hospital where she gave
birth "helped" get baby on the breast in this manner.

Usually I am involved when the baby has been so traumatized by this (would
YOU want to nurse if you couldn't breathe?!) that he/she is now refusing
the breast completely.  I have found that extinguishing the negative
reaction is most rapidly done if mother ceases trying to get baby to breast
and cup or finger-feeds baby for a bit of time.  Then I ask her to climb in
the tub and let baby crawl up her trunk to breast.  Once baby latches on in
tub, getting him/her to do so outside the watery (womb-like warmth)
environment is much easier.

Worst case took 3 weeks for baby to come around.  But it also has been
resolved in 2 days, also.  Rnage, I think, relates to how much baby has
been pushed into breast and mother's willingness to unlearn that technqiue
which appears to work, but really sets baby up for aversive response.

I would love to hear from others about this situation.  It is something I
try to mention whenever I do talks about early breastfeeding asssitance.



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