Latch and the fear response: overcoming an obstacle to successful breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Review : Professional Publication of the Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia
|June 29, 2005
PubMed

A cringe response, born of fear of anticipated nipple pain, creates behaviours that undermine comfortable latch of baby at breast, resulting in the pain th women feared. Fear is an important response in human survival but sometimes the behaviours resulting from the fear are inappropriate. This case study discusses the psychological processes and specific physical responses observed in a woman who is experiencing nipple pain during breastfeeding. It describes steps that can be taken to assist the mother in identifying what she is doing, educating her about the processes involved, and providing her with strategies to override the inappropriate response.

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