Carol Venters IBCLC. Breastfeeding Support, A Gentle Approach

When the baby does not latch on. Part 2: what to do. For a more complete discussion and helpful videos see: http://ibconline.ca/not-latching/ 1. Have patience,... don´t rush in to intervene straight away after birth and rush in with solutions such bottles and a nipple shield. 2. Skin to skin contact, as much as possible. The baby may find the breast and latch on, sometimes without any help at all. A nurse or other qualified health professional should be with the mother and baby, as the mother may some residual effects from the medication she has received. 3. If the baby has not latched on within a few hours (no rule for how long to wait), the mother should get help to express her milk and feed the baby with a spoon or open cup. Hand expression often works better than a pump before the milk increases on day 3 or 4. And often even if the milk has increased. 4. The mother should get qualified, experieinced, skilled help to get the baby to latch on well. 5. Use of breast compression to increase the flow of milk from the breast which will encourage the baby to latch on and stay on. 6. Hospital staff should create a relaxed atmosphere around babies that do not latch on and not panic. If the staff panic, so will the mother. Many babies will latch on when the milk supply increases on day 3 or 4. 7. After day 3 or 4 when the mother´s milk supply has increased and the baby is still not latching on, finger feeding is a technique that frequently works to prepare the baby to take the breast. See the video in this article. 8. Using the lactation aid at the breast after finger feeding may be a good way to help the baby stay on the breast. 9. Some babies are willing to experiment with latching on if they were first fed a little bit of milk via finger feeding or cup feeding. 10. Trying to latch the baby on right after the baby wakes up or just as the baby is falling asleep sometimes works very well. Sometimes the baby is more likely to latch on if the baby and the mother are side by side, skin to skin. 11. Babies who are crying and screaming are difficult to latch on. Showing the mother how to calm the baby can help the baby to latch on. 12. Making sure the mother expresses her milk and builds up a very good milk supply is a main determinant in whether the baby will latch on. We will prescribe domperidone for the mother even if she can express all the milk the baby needs. More milk means faster flow, faster flow means the baby is more likely to latch on. 13. We have helped mothers latch on the baby several weeks after the birth even 3 or 4 months or more after birth, but the sooner the steps above are taken, preferably in the first week, the more likely the baby will latch on and drink well from the breast. Patience, and watchful waiting are virtues. Want more information on getting the baby to latch on? See our eBook "Breastfeeding: Empowering Parents". The eBook contains videos, links to scholarly articles and more: https://ibconline.ca/ebook/. New! An audiobook of my book Dr Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding. https://www.audible.ca//Dr-Jack-Newmans-Guide-/1515933490

I want to offer online or telephone consultations in this time of Social Distancing. Please, if you need help, there is no need to struggle alone.

Guidelines for Breastfeeding Mothers during Covid 19 Bottom line is breastmilk still offers the most protection This is from the Academy of Breastfeeding medicine based on WHO guidelines... https://www.bfmed.org/abm-statement-coronavirus