Six women share stories of their breastfeeding challenges, and what helped
The gestalt method of fit and hold is only one part of the Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC) or Possums breastfeeding programs (under development as Breastfeeding stripped bare), but an important place to start. This version of the gestalt method of fit and hold for breastfeeding women has been available since 2016. I'm hoping that Breastfeeding stripped bare, the comprehensive NDC approach to breastfeeding and lactation, will be publicly available by the end of 2024. Key elements of the NDC breastfeeding work are also found in The discontented little baby book, and in my research publications, starting here.
Baby 1
This woman came to the Possums Clinic when her baby was 6 weeks old. Here she tells the story of her breastfeeding difficulties, which included severe nipple pain, the baby screaming for up to 8 hours of the day, and poor weight gain. The baby had laser frenectomies for upper lip-tie at 2 weeks age. This video demonstrates how she resolved her breastfeeding problems by experimenting with the gestalt method.
Baby 2
This woman came to the clinic when her baby was 5 weeks old for a second opinion, after it had been suggested to her that the baby might have a tongue-tie and upper lip-tie. She tells the story of severe nipple damage and mastitis with breastfeeding, and demonstrates how she resolved the breast pain by experimenting with the gestalt method.
Baby 3
This woman first came to the Possums Clinic when her baby was 2 weeks old. She had left hospital after the birth using nipple shields, and the baby had a frenotomy at 10 days age. The family had also been advised that revision might be necessary. When she first saw us, the baby was refusing the breast much of the time. The parents were bottle-feeding her with both formula and expressed breast milk. In the video, we see a discussion which includes the use of nipple shields and experimentation with the gestalt method.
Baby 4
When we first saw this woman and her baby, they were marathon feeding. This video includes demonstration of the gestalt method to optimise milk transfer, and a discussion about why it's best not to use breast massage when breastfeeding.
Baby 5
This woman tells the story of her nipple pain amd the baby's poor weight gain. At the Possums Clinic we performed a frenotomy for a classic tongue-tie and applied the gestalt method, and the baby has had excellent weight gain and comfortable breastfeeds since.
Baby 6
This woman tells the story of chronic nipple pain, marathon breastfeeding, top-ups, supply line use, and a baby who was very dialled up at the breast or refusing the breast, prior to seeing us at the Possums Clinic when the baby was 13 weeks old. This video demonstrates the gestalt method, including mindful breastfeeding, and includes a discussion about how to help a baby who is dialled up at the breast.
Acknowledgements
I gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the women and parents who agreed to share their experiences in these videos, recorded in 2016, for the sake of helping others.
Selected references
Douglas PS, Keogh R. Gestalt breastfeeding: helping mothers and infants optimise positional stability and intra-oral breast tissue volume for effective, pain-free milk transfer. Journal of Human Lactation. 2017;33(3):509–518.
Douglas PS, Geddes DB. Practice-based interpretation of ultrasound studies leads the way to less pharmaceutical and surgical intervention for breastfeeding babies and more effective clinical support. Midwifery. 2018;58:145–155.
Douglas PS, Perrella SL, Geddes DT. A brief gestalt intervention changes ultrasound measures of tongue movement during breastfeeding: case series. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2022;22(1):94. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-12021-04363-12887.