Bonnie,
I, too, am seeking such info. The ITN seems to be so new that there is little
data so far regarding possible ramifications on bfg. I just had a meeting
with L&D nurses who wanted to know why on earth I seemed to oppose meds in
labor. It was so hard to explain that I didn't condemn meds, I just wanted
women to know that there are more ways to handle labor than just meds, and to
be able to minimize interventions and their possible results. They just don't
buy that meds, even our latest and most sophisticated, might still affect a
baby. AFter all, they've worked with hundreds of moms in hospital and I
haven't..

I have no hard data, either, but I am currently working with two moms who had
ITNs and whose babies are both doing the same, weird thing: one mom is the
one with the baby who changed colors: her daughter, baby #6 (mom's only
medicated birth, thought she deserved a break this time; others bfd find),
cups a little finger but not a big one and not mom's large nipples. Baby
struggled with taking breast in, will "suck" like crazy, but bob the nipple
in the front of her mouth. Takes forever to feed even when we get her on
"properly", and intake is all over the map and unpredictable. Baby is
currently ll 1/2 lbs at 6 wks. Second baby, also a girl, is mom's first;
again, bobs nipple furiously in and out in the front of her mouth, poor
tongue  contact, clicks, etc.  Mom also has largish nipples, 3/4", baby 8 lbs
and small mouth.  Even when baby is on well, and both moms have learned to be
very specific with L-O technique, stripping is not efficient. Babies will
drowse off easily, suck mostly with MERS, and must be held to breast,
otherwise they fall off. First little girl has had neurological work-up,
which was negative. Second has fared better than first, but we are a ways off
from successful bfg.  Have been doing lots of finger exercises with tongue to
stimulate better cupping and grooving, but progress is little and slow.  Is
it the ITN, or just coincidence? I don't know, but I'm going to start keeping
stats.

-Lisa Marasco, LLLL, IBCLC
Santa Maria, CA