We Eat With Our Hands: Part 3

Many parents of newborns worry that their little ones will scratch their faces. Out of concern and to spare them pain, they often cover their hands with mitts and socks. However, this might actually do more harm than good..

An infant needs to be able to touch hand to hand and hand to face. This allows the infant to smell their own scent, connect body to body, and feel their hands on their face. These actions provide a sense of self and help create a body map. Plus, it's great for feeding!

How? Research has documented that when a baby is sucking, grip strength increases. Perhaps we can speculate and consider engaging the infant in grasping (our finger in the palm of the infant's hand with thumb on one side and fingers on the other) the strength of the suck may be improved. I am pretty sure this have evolutionary components to it, possibly when early humanoids may have had to hold onto their food supply that didn't have time for stationary breastfeeding.

Allowing the infant to have hands on the breast when breast feeding can increase milk flow. When an infant is allowed to provide mom with a breastfeeding hug: Inferior arm is extended around the torso with one arm and the upper arm on the breast, the hand touching the breast has the opportunity to make "kitty biscuits". (Actually "kitty biscuits" that sweet and sometimes painful action cats do when contentedly sharing our blankets is an action performed when baby kitties are nursing from their mom's to help with milk release!) . But in this case it may be the visual cues and bodily sensations that allow a mother to fully relax and settle into breastfeeding that allows for milk flow. As for the infant, being in this position opens up the chest, and allows the neck to elongate and the jaw (and therefore posterior tongue elongation) to open, allowing for a larger mouth seal and therefore greater negative pressure suction. ( but I like the kitty biscuits idea 😍)

Holding an infant's hand during feeding can promote increased suction vigor, stimulate the brain to stay engaged in feeding, and provide a sense of security.

BONUS TIP!!!!

If you are looking for a safe and easy way to shorten finger nails, try this. Provide a warm swaddled bath. After the bath, use an emery board and gentle file the excess fingernail down. Warm water will soften the nails and allow them to be more pliable.