This is my first post to LACTNET.  I am a long-time  LLL Leader (since 1967),
still active with an LLL group in the Seattle area  and a member of the LLLI
Board of Directors.  Art and I have three grown breastfed children.  I have
been reading LACTNET for almost two months now with a great deal of
appreciation for all  of you who are contributors to LACTNET.  I gain hope
for the world's women and children as I read your postings about all your
good work.

I want to reply to Ruth who is looking for ideas about a baby who will not
latch on.  The mechanism that generally triggers latch on in the baby is the
stimulation of the nerve endings in the roof of the baby's mouth which would
explain why the baby will finger feed.    When mothers have large and/or flat
nipples there are times when enough nipple does not hit the roof of the mouth
to trigger the reflex.  If the baby has gotten a superstimulous such as a
bottle nipple, pacifier, (or finger) sometimes they don't recognize the feel
of a nice soft breast nipple.

Ideas that have worked for mothers I have worked with include (not in any
particular order of effectivness) 1)getting the baby sucking well on the
finger and then quickly removing the finger and when the baby is reaching to
rapidly insert the nipple in the mouth as far as possible.2) making sure the
baby is opening the mouth wide enough by tickling the lips 3)sometimes a
mother has to insert a clean finger under baby's tongue, pressing the tongue
up to the roof of the mouth to trigger the reflex. 4)  some mothers have
found that putting ice on the nipple or manually stiulating it to firm up the
nipple helps.5) Shape the nipple by putting the thumb above and index finger
below, well behind the arola,  gently squeeze the nipple into a more oval
than round shape and slightly tilt the nipple upward  so that it is more
likely to hit the roof of the mouth 6)  Using the "rapid arm movement (RAM)"
 pull the baby close to the mother's  body and breast almost to the point of
burying the baby's nose in the breast.  This has worked wonders for a few
non- latchers.  I don't know if it is because they can't breath with so much
breast in the nose that they open their mouth wider to catch a breath or what
but at time it is amazing to watch a baby latch on when nothing else seemed
to work.  7)the  "football hold" seems to work for a few who can't seem to
latch on when in other politions.8) tucking  a soft and blunt-ended dropper
full of breast milk into the corner of the waiting mouth of the baby and
giving occasional squirts to stimulate a swallow will sometimes get the baby
sucking. 9)  carrying the baby for much of the time skin-to-skin.  Something
about the extra skin contact seems to help the baby get better organized to
suck.  Good luck.  I hope at least one idea helps.  Good luck!