In a message dated 4/6/00 12:20:26 AM, [log in to unmask] writes: << Next, to get high wt loss babies to gain, I always teach moms and all others present to do infant massage at least twice per day. It has several purposes: gets people touching baby, which increases weight gain (can't find the references here, but they do exist); and it gives them an active role so that they feel like they can "do something." >> Many years ago, I worked with a mom of a 36 wk, under 5lb baby who was very sleepy and would not take the breast. Mom pumped milk easily and had a good supply, so he never had formula. He was also born with no interventions. His wt gain, though was really a struggle. Mom used an SNS and breast compression. He also lagged behind developmentally. She was from India and she finally went there for the summer when he was several months old. She said in India, he would have been massaged every day by the "nurse" who was hired to help with child care. When he returned a couple of months later (still exclusively bf), he was a totally different baby, robust and healthy and developmentally on target. Now, we also have other factors here (like her ability to be more relaxed in her homeland, the fact that she had hired help in her parents' house to take care of housework, etc), but this baby had received a massage twice per day and he had truly flourished! Recently, I worked with another mom who was raised in India. Her baby latched on poorly, had a shallow suckle and mom's milk supply was low at 5 days pp. She was losing wt and was sleepy, slightly jaundiced. The birth had been traumatic and the baby seemed unable to open her mouth fully. I asked her if her baby would be massaged in India and she said yes, but she had not learned. So, she went to a massage therapist, learned some great techniques and is nursing beautifully now (correct positioning and latch also taught, of course). I have referred to massage therapists regularly over the years w/ excellent success. Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html