Jeanette, These types of babies scare me. I've been a practicing lactation consultant for 25 years. Just off the top of my head I can think of several of them that ended up with a CP diagnosis, 2 with sensory integration disorders, 4 with rare metabolic disorders, 1 (a pediatrician's baby) with a rare chromasomal defect causing developmental delays, several with late diagnoses of Torticollis, 1 with some type of problem with the plates in the skull, 1 with galactosemia, Many with subdural hematomas predominately caused by vacuum extraction deliveries....and who knows how many more that I lost contact with before a diagnosis was made. the CP babies where 14 and 18 months old before they were diagnosed. Holly McSpadden, IBCLC -------------- Original message from Jeanette Panchula <[log in to unmask]>: -------------- > In the last 5 years I've had 3 babies who just refused to latch on - but NOT > the usual "I have trouble opening my mouth because of horrific labor" (they > opened WIDE) or "mom has no milk so why bother" (Mom's milk was POURING) or > "mom's nipple is so flat I get no stimulation" (only one, the latest, had > taut breasts and flat nipples). > > They just crawl up to the breast, go to the nipple place mouth over the > nipple - and really don't suck at all. They have not had pacifiers and > bottles were introduced as a result of low weight gain after a few days of > efforts to feed at the breast and using other methods at the breast that > didn't work, either - as the baby wouldn't suck there! > > All three of these have had similar oral anatomy and I was wondering what > else to do - NONE ever successfully latched on although two had moms who > provided 100% of the milk they needed for many months. > > All three had high palates with LOTS of rugae all the way back - not just > right behind the gumline. (In writing this I did a google search and found > a study trying to see if a pattern of palate rugae was connected with clefts > of the soft palate: "The pattern of palatal rugae in submucous cleft palates > and isolated cleft palates" - but they were looking at people that had > already been diagnosed with clefts). > > All three had no visible tongue-tie and tongue extended beyond the lower > gumline > > All three also had difficulty initiating bottle feeding, though eventually > the parents learned how to feed the baby in what LOOKED like a "normal" way > - and took bottle nipple deeply, etc. AND babies would accept "paced bottle > feeding." > > However they never latched on to the breast. > > I did a suck check on the baby last night and also found he would not suck > my finger with or without milk stimulation...finally he did, and I DID feel > negative pressure, so I think there is no cleft ??? is that accurate? > > Suggestions? Ideas? > > Mom is pumping and feeding but she really wants to BREASTFEED! > > Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC > California, USA > > *********************************************** > > Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html > To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] > Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] > COMMANDS: > 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set > lactnet nomail > 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail > 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet > 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome > *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome