I was recently flipping through the American Academy of Pediatrics, The Complete and Authoritative Guide Caring For Your Baby and Young Child Birth to Age 5. I know, I know, I'm a dork, but it has some really good information in it. Plus, I feel guilty reading a real book, when I should be reading my class materials, so this makes for a good bathroom read. Moving on, there was a piece in there about getting to know your baby's feeding patterns and it was comical. Anyone who has ever breastfed should enjoy this and should be able to "label" their child. Apparently it is from Yale University researchers who "playfully" attached names to the eating styles. The book also gave advice on how to deal with each style, but I'm only including the actual style.
"Barracudas get right down to business. As soon as they're put to the breast, they grasp the areola and suck energetically for ten to twenty minutes. They usually become less eager as time goes on.
Excited Ineffectives become frantic at the sight of the breast. In a frenzied cycle they grasp it, lose it and start screaming in frustration. They must be calmed down several times during each feeding.
Procrastinators can't be bothered with nursing until the milk comes in. These babies shouldn't be given bottles of water or formula. Continue to put them to the breast regularly.....
Gourmets or Mouthers insist on playing with the nipple, tasting the milk first and smacking their lips before digging in. If hurried or prodded, they become furious and scream in protest. The best solution is tolerance. After a few minutes of playing, they do settle down and nurse well. Just be sure the lips and gums are on the areaola and not on the nipple.
Resters prefer to nurse for a few minutes, rest a few minutes, and resume nursing. Some fall asleep on the breast, nap for half an hour or so, and then awake ready for dessert. This pattern can be confusing, but these babies cannot be hurried."
So, which type is/was your baby?
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3 comments:
Hey Katie! We just wanted to say hello and hope things are going good down there! Call if there is anything you need! Deckers
The book forgot a style that I am very familiar with:
Busybodies cannot focus on nursing for more than a few swallows at a time. These babies suddenly turn their heads--with nipple still in mouth which Mother will find painful--to check on other activity in the room. Feeding busybodies in a separate room may help, but these babies may still refuse to eat well if they hear any noises coming from a different part of the house that they might be missing out on.
Hey Jen! Hope you are feeling good!
Julie - Very funny! Alex does that sometimes, but not because he hears a noise...more because he wants to play! Not fun.
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