Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding Support Flow (Newborns - 5 months old)
Nursing is the first milestone that we want a baby to master. Ideally we want the baby to be able to latch onto both breasts, have a deep latch, create a seal and successfully transfer milk. All while being able to breathe and be in a relative relaxed position. If you are bottle feeding all the same steps apply!
If you are having trouble breastfeeding or bottle feeding there may be more than one factors that are affecting baby. The three most common reasons I see in clinic are: muscular tension/imbalances, tethered oral tissues (tongue/lip ties) and nervous system innervation and regulation (stress that is decreasing primitive reflexes).
The most important steps to help support feeding is working with a lactation consultant and a pediatric focused chiropractor or another specialized body workers to get to the root cause of their dysfunction. And ideally the sooner the better
Making sure that baby is using their tongue correcting and that there is prober balance in their palate and jaw will help support how they eat, drink and breathe. This will build a very strong and stable foundation for how they eat, drink and breathe for the rest of their life.
This video will take baby through key exercises and release techniques to support a babies tongue, palate and TMJ to help optimize they way they are eating.
This video is meant for babies just born to around 6 months old. Some of these exercises will be really easy for your baby and some will be more challenging. You also want to look for asymmetries from side to side. Try to make these exercises fun for you and your baby. Please modify any exercises to best suit your baby. And if they have troubles doing any of them, it might be a good sign to take your baby to a chiropractor (or another pediatric skilled body worker).
👉 For this class you will want a clean finger and maybe a Ninni pacifier for an exercise at the very end.
Once you get to a good place with feeding make sure you check out this brain based movement flow to continue to help support neurodevelopment and their future milestones.
Depending on your baby's current ability and attention span you might need to break this video up into smaller chunks or do more/less reps. And a good goal is to try to do a couple of these exercises most days of the week for optimal benefits.
DISCLAIMER: This content (the video, description, links, and comments) is not medical advice or a personalized treatment plan and is intended for general education and demonstration purposes only. Perform the moves in this content at your own risk. These moves may not be appropriate for your specific situation, so get approval and guidance from your own healthcare provider before beginning. If anything is painful or doesn’t feel right, stop immediately and contact your healthcare provider. Don’t use this content to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. Don’t use this content to avoid going to your own healthcare provider or to replace the advice they give you. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or content, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.