Nikki Lee Health

I’ve been working with mothers and babies since 1975; I’ve been in private practice as a lactation therapist since 1989. These years have been full and wonderful and I look forward to many more.

Something happening today in the language used by breastfeeding helpers, that disturbs me and feels like fingernails across a blackboard. This the shift to “the latch” instead of focusing on “breastfeeding.”

I’ve heard hospital colleagues say, “I was just latching a baby on when you called”  or “I latched on 24 babies today.” Current prenatal resources are talk about the latch, “Getting your baby to latch”. “Your nurses in the hospital can help you and your baby learn to latch.” “Latch on, the key to successful breastfeeding.” “Breastfeeding: It’s Latching On.”

I’ve had clients tell me, “They told me the latch was perfect in the hospital, but it always hurt.”  These mothers are doubting themselves, when the experts have told them something different to their own experience. Simply put, it isn’t perfect if it always hurts.

I see clients controlling the relationship, focusing on getting the baby to latch-on, with little awareness of or attention to comfort or timing. No one seems to remember that healthy babies are born with all the reflexes and skills they need; certainly the mothers I see are always surprised to see what their baby can do when given the chance!

The focus of the work has become the latch, the narrow area where the baby’s mouth and the areola and nipple intersect. True, this component of breastfeeding has to be comfortable and effective. However, it is not the whole story. The whole story is about feelings and relationship, about observing, and about responding. It includes health, with normal anatomy and physiology. It includes environment, respect and timing. It encompasses fun, love, and pleasure.

Making the latch the focus of breastfeeding is like making penetration the focus of lovemaking. It is as though the relationship has been distilled to directions for assembling a piece of furniture from IKEA. We all know that there is much more to intimacy than Part A accepting Part B comfortably and completely.

Let’s remember the whole, and do what we can to promote relationship, while supporting all the parts.