From digest of 6/17:

> From:    "Cindy Curtis  RN,  IBCLC" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Breast Refusal
>
> ...  I nursed this one for four and half months,
> not my choice.... it was hers.  I went back to work part time
> when the babies were 8 weeks old and pumped...  first child did
> fine with switching from bottle to me but my daughter...  Well
> one afternoon she refused to nurse and refused and refused... I
> tried every thing I could think of, I called LaLeche, A IBCLC
> at Georgetown in Washington DC...  read everything I could find
> and I could NOT get this one to nurse any more... all she
> wanted was the bottle.  I pumped for a few more months but with
> a 2 yr old and a baby and working...  time was a factor and my
> supply dwindled.  So I had to resort to ABM  :(  Not something
> I am proud of and I still regret it to this day (She is 5 now)
> But I didn't know what else to do.  I wasn't an IBCLC then.
> Wish I was!

Cindy,

This very situation is why I decided to start the BRC here at Harvard...
but now that you are an IBCLC, what WOULD you advise these mothers?  I
personally have known about 4 mothers who've had this experience (SO
unlike mine:  my first child hated bottles and was quite picky about her
preferred bottle nipples, and nursed till age 6, and my second didn't care
where his breastmilk came from, breast or bottles, and is still nursing
at age 3).  [Of course, I was lucky to delay going back to work until at
least 4 months.]

So, LCs, what can I tell mothers having this experience?  Here at Harvard
most employees don't have to return to work until 12 weeks postpartum.
Thanks for any input,

     - Janna
                                ,,^,,
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! @(*.*)@ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                 `-'
Janna M. Frelich                             [log in to unmask]
Coordinator,
Breastfeeding Resource Center, Harvard School of Public Health