Patient's question:
The baby is 16 days old and has been drinking milk all along. Now the baby is refusing to breastfeed because the nipple is too short to reach. What should I do? The kind of help I need: How can the nipple be made longer?Doctor's answer:
Specific methods include manual and mechanical suction.Manual suction: Gently pinch and pull the nipple out from the skin surface with the thumb and index finger, holding them horizontally or transversely. Sustain or intermittently pull the nipple outward for about 30 minutes, alternating between both nipples. Perform 3-5 times daily.
Mechanical suction: Utilize a manual or electric breast pump that operates on the principle of negative pressure to draw out the nipple. Similarly, sustain or intermittently pull the nipple for 30 minutes, alternating between both nipples. Perform 3-5 times daily.