Susan, I wanted to comment your thoughts on spitting out milk:  «Furthermore,
I do NOT think it is normal for a baby to "spit
 out" some of the milk.  This to me is an indication that the feeder is not
responding to the baby's cues as well as possible.  I teach parents that
"spitting out" milk is a sign that they are going too fast or missed the
cues a bit.»

I think there is very definitely a learning curve when a baby is fed with a
dropper or inverted straw, both for baby and for mom/caregiver.  I think
that quite often, to start out, a baby will dribble SOME milk out because
they are no used to having milk "deposited" near the front of their mouth.
 Think about it, when suckling on a breast, the milk goes the very back of
the mouth, and does not pool around the tip of the tongue/gums/teeth area.
 Couple this with a small hard object instead of soft breast tissue, and a
baby who is hesitant as to what is going to happen next, and I can see that
many babies would likely let some dribble out EVEN if they are hungry and
want more.

If they have not nursed for 2 or more hours at all and yet dribble milk out
the moment you try with an eyedropper, it would stand to reason to me that
it is not because they are full, but rather b/c they just don't quite know
how to "manoeuvre" the milk towards the back of their mouth (much like
eating solid foods) very well yet.  With a little bit of practice they get
better and spit out less at the start of a feed (my son did!).  However, I
do agree that it is quite likely that a child who is offered dropper-fed or
straw liquid AFTER a nursing session is full and will spit some out, whether
they are proficient with the dropper/straw or not.  I do agree a photo of
baby in mom's arms might have been nice but the information provided was
still worth reading IMO!

Fio


-- 
--
Children's Restraint System Technician (CRST), Pharmacy Assistant Technician
(PAT), BF volunteer, and most importantly, Maman to Sandrine, 10.5yo, Nyssa
7.75yo, and Tristan, 28 mos.
Cost of a carseat:  $150
Time it takes to buckle it up properly:  a few seconds of your day.
Making sure your child gets home safely:   PRICELESS.

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