THE FULL SPECTRUM OF BREASTFEEDING BENEFITS: IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE MILK

After being in a situation where I was unable to directly breastfeed my second child, yet wanting to provide breastmilk to my child, I made the switch to exclusively pump. The triple feeding (feeding at breast, in our case with a shield; feeding with bottle, and pumping) got to be too overwhelming after a few months.

My heart goes out to other parents in these situations where we didn’t get the support and care we deserved in order to reach our feeding goals. Of course, goals can be adjusted, but it is a loss to feel as though there was no real choice in that.

I know there are many parents out there who were unable to breastfeed and were “forced” into other feeding methods. I know there are many parents out there who chose not to breastfeed as it didn’t resonate with them, and THAT’S OK! That’s good that we can all choose what resonates with us and we know what is truly best for our family. However, it is important to discuss the benefits of breastfeeding, especially those that go beyond the benefits of breastmilk, so that parents can truly make an informed decision.

BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING: BEYOND NUTRITION

Beyond nutrition, immunity, and more, breastfeeding is a foundational activity for oral motor and airway development. The mechanics of obtaining milk from the breast versus a bottle are different. The bottle involves less muscular work than breastfeeding.

The action of breastfeeding can help with development in a variety of ways:

• Jaw exercise to help stimulate proper growth and development.

• Palate expansion as your baby uses their tongue to press against the soft palate in their mouth during breastfeeding. This helps to expand the palate and upper jaw, creating a wider smile and room for all teeth.

• Nasal breathing is a natural habit developed during breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding strengthens the muscles of the face and mouth which help develop the airway.

Obtaining a functional evaluation for your baby to determine if the breastfeeding mechanics are correct is very important. To get an accurate assessment, a baby's latch, swallowing mechanics, the coordination of the suck-swallow-breathe pattern, and any possible compensatory or tension patterns should all be assessed by a trained feeding professional.

When these basic mechanics are off, besides weight gain, it can affect a baby or infant's quality of life. According to Abeille Speech and Feeding, signs and symptoms of oral dysfunction in breast or bottle-fed babies and infants can look like:

• Difficulty latching

• Clicking noise during feeds

• Frequent spit-up

• Gassy

• Fussy

• Colicky or colic

• Choking or coughing during feeding

• Frequent unlatching

• Milk leaking from mouth while feeding

• Tucked upper or lower lip while feeding

• Chewing or chomping on breast or bottle nipple

• Feeds consistently lasting longer than 30 minutes

• Feeding very frequently (consistently under 2 hours)

• Baby seems frustrated during feeds

• Poor sleep

• Noisy breathing or snoring

• Open mouth posture

• Mouth breathing

• Difficulty with solids

• Difficulty with textures

• Excessive gagging

• Vomiting during meals

• Food refusal

• Fussy during meals

• Lack of chewing

• Difficulty with straws or open cups

• Restless sleep

When it comes to poor feeding mechanics, it's not just the baby that can be impacted. An infant experiencing oral dysfunction when feeding can also affect the mom:

• Pain with breastfeeding

• Misshapen nipples after latch (can be lipstick-shaped or other)

• Nipple damage

• Recurrent clogged milk ducts

• Recurrent mastitis

• Breasts feel full after feed

• Low milk supply

• High stress and anxiety around breastfeeding

Ensuring that the proper mechanics for feeding are in place is the first step in the airway journey. When the muscles of the tongue and face can work in harmony to help grow the jaws wide and forward, airway development is off to the best possible start.

Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms

Here are a few tips that will help you as you create a bond with your baby and develop your breastfeeding skills:

• Begin breastfeeding immediately after birth ---- aiming for 8-12 times per 24-hour period if possible

• When holding your baby, hold your baby skin-to-skin

• Keep your baby close by when in the hospital and the first few nights at home

• Avoid giving your baby a pacifier or bottle until breastfeeding is well established

If you still find you are having challenges, consult your pediatrician or lactation specialist.

I. When to wean?

Most babies are ready to begin around 6 months of age as this is when we typically see the signs of readiness. There’s no need to rush into starting solids until your baby is showing the readiness signs! This ensures safety and helps set your baby (and you) up for success.

Here are a couple of the signs that indicate your baby is ready:

--- Can sit independently

--- Baby should be able to hold their head steady for meals, pick up items, and bring items to their mouth

--- Baby begins showing interest in food whether watching you or attempting to snatch your snack for themselves

You can find more tips and signs on our Baby-Led Weaning blog post.

II. Informed Decisions

When pumping and bottle feeding, it is important for parents to be informed about the mechanical benefits of breastfeeding that support airway health and development. This way when exclusively pumping and bottle feeding, they are able to make mindful choices to support their baby’s airway health and development in other ways. The type of bottle, the position when feeding and paced feedings can be very beneficial for bottle-fed babies.

Regardless of feeding method, it is important for all infants to receive a functional evaluation to ensure oral motor mechanics, technique and other factors are all on the optimal track!

Here are a few additional resources to help you make an informed decision:

--- Bottle feeding from Debra Beckman

--- The feeding mom youtube channel with SLP Mallory Roberts

--- Mallory Roberts’ feeding guide (available for purchase)

III. Breastmilk

Where exclusively pumping and breastfeeding can overlap is the benefits of providing breastmilk to babies. “Breastmilk also may be helpful in strengthening immune responses and reducing the runny noses that also contribute to mouth breathing, and, through its effect on jaw development, crooked teeth.” (Jaws, pg 62) Breastmilk provides nutrients that are important for bone development.

Professionals to Support Feeding Goals and Functional Evaluation

IBCLCs trained in oral function:

https://www.ibclcmasterclass.com/findanibclc

https://www.chrysalisorofacial.com/directory

airwaycirlce.com/directory

SETTING YOU AND YOUR BABY UP FOR FEEDING SUCCESS

If there is anything that diving into this airway journey has taught me, it’s that going at it alone is not the way to do it. Set up a care team around you and your baby to access all the resources and support you need and deserve!

IBCLC directory for those trained in oral function:

• https://www.ibclcmasterclass.com/findanibclc

• https://www.chrysalisorofacial.com/directory (you can find SLPs on this list as well)

• Ask your airway dentist for an IBCLC referral if needed

Whether this is your first baby or sixth, each baby and experience is different. Ask questions of your care team and seek help with anything that just "doesn't feel right" to you.