We eat with our hands (PART 1)

At some point, people started attempting to move the newborn's hands out of the way during feeding, viewing them as distractions and hurdles to successful latching and feeding. As a result, the arms are swaddled or pinned to the chest, as if these limbs are nuisances meant to complicate the feeder's task.

In reality, the hands have very basic reflexes that are directly linked to the oral motor skills necessary for early feeding. As these are reflexes, they must react in a predetermined movement pattern when stimulated. Given that our focus is on feeding, we can tap into the body's natural ability to facilitate feeding. Additionally, observing an incomplete response can provide us with important insights into how we can better assist our infants.

The two reflexes are: (drum roll please)

The Babkin (later the palmar) Reflex and the Grasping Reflex

We will just discuss the Babkin for now, lest we become too drowsy in all the excitement!😂

Babkin Reflex: Comes into development about 9 weeks before birth, about 31 weeks of gestation, and will integrate around 3 to 4 months of age. About the end of the "fourth trimester".

How to stimulate: The simplest way to stimulate this reflex is to have the infant lie on their back. Place the pads of your thumbs in the center of the palms (one in each hand). Simultaneously, gently but firmly press thumb pads down into the palm, then make small circular movements about three times. Pause. Observe. Repeat a few times.

Positive response: The infant's mouth at the jaw will open, the head will come forward, and the back of the tongue will elevate and move forward.

Why this is important: In breastfeeding, the infant must be able to secure the nipple tissue and extend it (that is stretch it out🤦‍♀️) 2 to 3 times it's regular length to allow for negative pressure suction from the back of the mouth (the soft palate for pharyngeal suction and swallow). The back of the tongue must come up AND forward to elongate and cup to receive the nipple. The back of the tongue elevating will also assist in separating the jaw movement from the tongue movement. This movement assists in the posterior tongue widening to help smash the nipple tissue to the roof of the mouth, which will also cue the infant to begin suckling and swallowing. The reflexive swallow happens in this pharyngeal space. This is where we want and need the action to happen for successful breastfeeding.

If you want to know "how far back is far back in the mouth", place the tip of your finger gently on the outside corner of the baby's eye and draw a line downward until you are even with the bottom corner of the nose. THAT is how far it needs to be! Internally, the landmark is the "sphenoid-velar juncture" where the sphenoid bone (a horizontal cranial bone) comes into contact with the velum ( soft palate).

This could be nature's way to avoid a needless frenectomy!

More to come!