Since your patient is in the hospital I'd *hope* she'd have access to
a competent lactation consultant. (Yeah, I know where hoping for
reasonable things in a hospital will get me.)
I consider flat nipples just one point on the spectrum of normal
nipple morphology rather than a condition to be treated
homeopathically. That being said if latching on is problematic, the
mom can try to get the nipple out a bit by pumping for few minutes
before bringing the baby to breast or by applying an ice cube to the
nipple. Once the nipple's out you can gently rub it between the
fingers to warm it before latching the baby on. Some regularly turn
to nipple shields for such things but, as their use can lead to
entrenched latch problems, I strongly recommend *only* using nipple
shields with the ongoing help of an experienced lactation consultant
or La Leche League leader.
As nursing is a learned skill for both the mom and the baby, I've seen
success from having the baby latch on to another nursing mother for a
few minutes to get the feel of things then pass the baby back to its
mother to imitate the same motions.
In the US it's standard protocol to load us cesarean section moms on
Pitocin to decrease the chance of hemorrhage. (It has another name in
Europe but I don't know what it is.) Pitocin is an anti-diuretic
which, when used at the time one should be urinating away excess
fluids from the expanded blood volume of pregnancy, can lead to
extreme engorgement. This will compound any problems with flat
nipples exponentially. If her lymph system is engorged at all,
addressing this drug's after effects in your remedy selection will go
far toward helping establish a successful breastfeeding relationship.
Mechanically you can address the situation by having mom take a hot
shower then bend forward and gently stroke each breast downward toward
the nipple.
Best wishes for you, mother, and babe.
~Cheryl
Carolyn Pellow wrote:
relayed
and, in
drugs