As one of her reasons for the superiority of an adult finger over a
pacifier, Diane gave:
<2) It lacks that prissy little constriction. It may not flare the way a
breast does, but neither does it have a shape that's utterly unlike a
nipple-areolar complex.>
Oh, good for you Diane for using that term and making it more familiar.
The thought has crossed my mind that for momentary pacification such as
when mom's having a potty break, a man's thumb or middle or ring fingers
are often larger, and even less likely to allow the baby to "prissy
mouth". A bent knuckle, while still flesh, might also keep the baby's
lips more flanged while pacifying.
Particularly if finger feeding is to be done by mom or dad, has anyone
thought of selecting the finger which is closest to the size, or better
yet, one size larger than the mother's nipple, so that the baby will
"downregulate" more easily when going on to the nipple-areolar complex
itself?
Besides habituating the baby to its small diameter, I have noted that the
dexterity of the forefinger tempts a person finger feeding a baby to
actively manipulate the tongue to keep the baby awake and sucking, unless
warned to keep the finger as passive as possible to mimic the passivity
of the nipple as it functions simply as a conduit for the milk.
Or another thought! Especially if mother's nipple is somewhat large, or
flat, if the mother is fingerfeeding, has anyone thought of trying the
tube in the center of a triangulation of her (short-nailed) fore, ring
and little fingers held together. Wider flanging then becomes necessary
to "latch" because the seal will not be perfect, and the flow of milk
might therefore, even go slower.
Just brainstorming a little.
Jean
*********
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA
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