Rachel Myr's lovely post yesterday was a good overview for the beginning
IBCLC or other helper of mothers and their babies, and a reminder to
experienced people. Looking at why feeding isn't working, looking at what
the baby *can* do, encouraging lots of skin-to-skin and mother-baby time
together, seeing if a laid-back position will work for this mother and her
baby, and a good measure of lateral thinking - holistic lateral thinking.
Some of the best things I've done have been from observing and working with
the mother, when I've been "on my uppers" (absolutely stuck for ideas).
Between us, we have respected the baby and watched for what s/he can do, and
we have both learnt in the process.
It is also important to take a case history oneself, rather than depending
only on what someone else has thought a persistent problem might be. There
may well be additional issues, or the causes or causes may be something
different from the original assumption. I find this is especially so when a
mother believes her baby is allergic to what she is eating and has excluded
all except a very, very narrow range of foods - with no improvement in the
baby and a mother on a deficient diet.
I have to go lactnet "no mail" later today as I am pressed for time for the
next week or two. Any messages need to come to me privately.

Virginia

Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA
Private Practice IBCLC
Brisbane, Qld, Australia 
E: [log in to unmask] 

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

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