7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138 • (901) 682-9222 • Open Weekdays 8:00 - 5:00
SOLVING SUCKING PROBLEMS
In rare cases, some newborns are not able to suck effectively at the breast due to sucking difficulties. These babies are able to latch onto the breast, but because of poor suction, slide off while nursing. Most of these babies are not using their tongues correctly or may be sucking on their tongues rather than the nipple, a habit that may have developed in the womb. Some infants with sucking problems may be tongue-tied. This is when the frenulum, the membrane that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is unusually short, making it difficult for the baby to extend his tongue out far enough to grasp the underside of his mother's nipple. Other babies may have a very high pallet or a small lower jaw that makes it difficult for them to latch onto the breast. In all cases of sucking difficulties it is best to seek help from a lactation specialist or someone who has experience helping babies with these types of sucking problems. You may need to supplement your baby with pumped breast milk until he is able to suck efficiently on his own. With patience, perseverance, and proper help, most babies with sucking problems eventually learn to improve their suck and are able to receive all their nourishment at the breast.
Excerpted from Bon Appetit, Baby! The Breastfeeding Kit by Elaine Moran, copyright 1999 by Elaine Moran, used by permission of the author.
Thomas G. Stovall, M.D.
Dr. Stovall is a Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee and Partner of Women's Health Specialists, Inc.
Date Published: 2004-03-23
7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138
Phone: (901) 682-9222; Fax: (901) 682-9505