On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 22:58:35 -0500, Royce Anderson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>This is truly disturbing.  I have never told a Mom to press her finger into
>her breast to keep it from suffocating her babe; in fact I have encouraged
>her not to do that.  Stating that there is concern that she may occlude
milk
>ducts if she presses too hard.  If she voices concern that her child is
>unable to breathe I reassure her by pointing out the shape of the baby's
>nose. "That's not Mom's nose or Dad's nose or even Aunt Sophie's nose,
>that's a baby nose!  God made it that way.  See how it's shaped?  The nose
>is pugged and the nares are flared so the baby will be able to breathe
while
>he is nursing.  If for some unknown reason he is unable to breathe you will
>see he pull his head off the breast, breathe in through his nose, then get
>right back on and continue to nurse."
>


Was it my handling of the case I described that you refer to as "truly
disturbing"?  Or the general idea of babies dying at the breast?

The case I described was an exception to the rule, based on the mother's
comprehension (or lack of it) at the time.  This mother was not voicing
concern over whether her baby could breathe.  She was unaware that she was
cutting off his air and was not absorbing what I was trying to show her
about not burying the baby's nose in her breast (very large soft breasts,
small baby).  The baby was struggling, but the mother was holding him
firmly in place.

We each of us do the best we can with each and every mother.

-Claire Bloodgood, IBCLC

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