Maternity Nursing Q 180
Which of the following would be inappropriate to assess in a mother who’s breastfeeding?
A. The attachment of the baby to the breast.
B. The mother’s comfort level with positioning the baby.
C. Audible swallowing.
D. The baby’s lips smacking.
Correct Answer: D. The baby’s lips smacking
Assessing the attachment process for breast-feeding should include all of the answers except the smacking of lips. A baby who’s smacking his lips isn’t well attached and can injure the mother’s nipples.
Option A: A good attachment shows much of the areola and the tissues underneath it, including the larger ducts, are in the baby’s mouth; the breast is stretched out to form a long “teat”, but the nipple only forms about one-third of the “teat”; the baby’s tongue is forward over the lower gums, beneath the milk ducts; and the baby is suckling from the breast, not from the nipple.
Option B: To be well attached at the breast, a baby and his or her mother need to be appropriately positioned. The mother can be sitting or lying down, or standing, if she wishes. However, she needs to be relaxed and comfortable, and without strain, particularly of her back. The baby can breastfeed in several different positions in relation to the mother: across her chest and abdomen, under her arm, or alongside her body.
Option C: When the milk ejection reflex is triggered, the baby may swallow after every suck in order to handle the rapid flow of milk. You should hear suck, swallow, pause, suck, swallow, pause. Audible swallowing after every couple of sucks should continue for about ten minutes.