Today I had a consult with a first-time mother and her now week-old baby.
She went home pumping and bottle feeding because all attempts since birth at
helping baby to breast had only succeeded in frustrating and upsetting her
and her lovely son, almost to the point of breast aversion.  When we set up
the appointment, she was on her way home, and I encouraged her to go home,
and spend as much time as possible in skin-to-skin contact with baby, but
not to worry about breastfeeding.  Pumping and bottle-feeding seemed like
the least stressful thing, and was the first active decision made by her.

Father came along on the consult.  Mother opened by cautioning me that
'we've made no progress on the breastfeeding'.  Skin-to-skin was enjoyable
to mother and baby but no feeding had taken place.  She is now pumping about
5-6 ounces each time.  Baby was over birthweight by several ounces.  The
undressing and weighing in my office woke him up, and she offered him her
breast.  After slight hesitation, he latched on and stayed there, nursing
effectively for over 20 minutes, looking almost as happy as his mom and dad.

I told them that I think this worked because of the good work they've done
since discharge, with pumping, feeding baby, and giving each other lots of
skin-to-skin time to recuperate.  Offering the breast before he was
desperate helped too.  Now she has an abundant milk supply and a baby who is
well-equipped to help himself, and who wants to.  I know they will have a
few days of fumbling before they are smoothly breastfeeding with no need for
bottles, but I know it will happen.

Seeing the look on that baby's face as he latched on and stayed there, not
to mention the look on the mother's face, made my day.  The father was Mr.
Dream Husband - supportive and respectful and very loving.  I will have to
recall that family every time I feel frustrated at the lack of structured
care plans for babies who are slow to latch, and we are going to get a
procedure in place for this, SOON.

Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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