Breastfeeding and suckling problems
Sucking and Breastfeeding Problems: How to Solve Them
Index
Breastfeeding problems: Explanatory introduction video
I thought I would record a video in which I personally explain all thebreastfeeding. You can watch the video or, if you prefer to read, scroll down to the next paragraph.
1. Breastfeeding issues: introduction
Unfortunately, the breastfeeding problems are the order of the day and, if not resolved promptly and effectively, risk compromising breastfeeding by causing pain, rhagades, mastitis, insufficient growth and forcing the addition of formula milk.
Fortunately, many parents are aware of the fundamental importance of early obstetrical support to the mother-child dyad to encourage the initiation of breastfeeding, but few of them know that of thepaediatric osteopath.
To explain it concretely to parents, I used to say that for a breastfeeding to be successful two people are needed healthy, the mother and child.
Very often, unfortunately, only the mother is supported and we forget to evaluate (and solve) the problems it may present the newborn with the consequence that breastfeeding is affected.
2. Why assess the newborn
A due to intrauterine malpositions or childbirth, the baby may experience tension/contractures at the level of the jaw, mouth and/or neck. Just think of a baby who has been channelled for a long time during birth, who was born with a suction cup or with loops of umbilical cord around the neck...
If the contractures are such that limit jaw and neck movement, the baby's sucking is affected and, consequently, so is thebreastfeeding.
The question to ask is simple...
''How can the baby open its mouth properly and latch on to the breast effectively if contractures prevent it from doing so?!''
This is obviously a rhetorical question.
The answer is that the baby will certainly find it more or less difficult to latch on and more or less marked difficulties in breastfeeding will arise. Here is a list of what are the most classic signs and symptoms of sucking problems.
3. Signs and symptoms of a breastfeeding problem
I sucking problems often occur from the first days of life and the mother-baby dyad experiences some of these signs and symptoms:
- presence of pain breast, fissures (this often happens when the baby has contractures in its mouth that do not allow it to open it properly)
- Other signs of a sucking and breastfeeding problem may be the mastitis or traffic jams (this could happen when sucking is ineffective/nutritive and the breast is not adequately emptied)
- the child often comes off from the breast, pulls the head backwards and arches (this happens when the child has contractures in the back of the neck and back, when it has difficult sucking or gastro-intestinal disorders)
- the child cries and is irritable breast (due to sucking problems and gastrointestinal disorders)
- the child gets tired immediately to suck and/or falls asleep at the breast (very often contractures are present at the neck that limit the effectiveness of sucking; if the mother has no pain, it often happens that if contractures are present at the neck but not at the mouth)
- the feeding è very long or, on the contrary, very short (ineffective sucking)
- the child prefers a breast than the other (myogenic torticollis)
- child does not grow sufficiently (ineffective and insufficiently nutritious sucking)
- the child has need for additions formula milk because it is not full and remains irritable (ineffective sucking and gastrointestinal disturbances that make the baby irritable)
- More...
4. The role of the osteopath
Knowing perfectly well the biomechanics of the jaw, mouth and neck regionthe osteopath assesses and resolves the muscle contractures and joint tensions which restrict movement, opening and, consequently, the quality of sucking.
Intervention osteopathic is purely biomechanical and for this reason, sucking and breast attachment problems are one of the main reasons for consultation as well as one of the greatest successes of a specialised osteopathic intervention.
Obviously, support for the mother-child dyad always takes place in a team with the paediatrician and the midwife/lactation consultant.
5. Innovative breastfeeding support from the midwife and paediatric osteopath
My midwife colleague and I (Dr. Maria Chiara Alvisi) we have devised a innovative osteopathic obstetric support for solve promptly the breastfeeding issues and start it up in the best possible way.
It is called Breastfeeding11days, i.e. breastfeeding in the first 11 days of life, and is an obstetric-osteopathic approach to help the mother-baby dyad in successfully initiating breastfeeding.
The 'Eleven Days' method stems from themany years of experience and the close daily cooperation between Dr. Maria Chiara Alvisi, midwife and D.O. Matteo Silva, osteopath specialising in paediatrics and neonatology.
PS: we have also started teaching this innovative and collaborative approach to numerous professionals; below is our video presentation.
Our experience has taught us that, unfortunately, many of the requests for breastfeeding assistance we receive, come to us when the problematic is in advanced or compromised state.
As health professionals, our desire is to work in a state of prevention and health.
That is why we have come up with 'Breastfeeding 11 days'innovative support that offers an effective support in the start-up of theexclusive breastfeeding and greatly increase its success rates
6. To whom is this method addressed?
This method is designed for all mothers who would like to breastfeed their child and, in particular, in cases in which they appear, from the first days of life, of difficulties in breastfeeding for the mother-child dyad.
7. Why are both midwife and paediatric osteopath necessary for effective breastfeeding?
Our support starts from the certainty that for effective breastfeeding the following are indispensable two factors:
- A mother in the best condition to take care of oneself and the baby, together with a breast that produces milk.
- A baby that can attach and feed itself correctly.
If either of these factors is below its optimal possibilities, objective difficulties in breastfeeding are created (see signs and symptoms of a breastfeeding problem).
For this reason, early support in the very first days of life and synergy between midwife and paediatric osteopath are fundamental prerogatives.
This means that if the problem is obvious, the longer you wait to intervene, the more difficult it will be to solve itMoreover, it is essential that the support offered is twofold, both obstetrical and osteopathic. It often happens that I visit women with obvious breastfeeding problems who have only been followed by one of these two professionals and have not been able to solve them.
Collaboration and the support of both professionals is indispensable for therapeutic success.
In the next few lines I will explain in more detail what obstetrical and osteopathic support consists of.
1. A mother in the best of health and a breast that produces and releases milk
When a mother returns home after being discharged from hospital, it is essential to ensure the good stimulationeffective, painless and timely, and the production of milk appropriate to the infant's needs.
In Italian hospitals, women are usually discharged from hospital 48 hours after the birth of their baby, a time when they usually milking occursOften, on the way home, one encounters the difficulty of the rapid change and difficult management of the mounting breast and, at the same time, of the infant's difficulty in latching on to the breast properly and feeding adequately.
That is why it is timely intervention by a midwife is essentialbreastfeeding expert, to protect the health of mother and baby
A BABY THAT CAN FEED EFFECTIVELY FROM THE BREAST
During birth, the baby experiences strong musculoskeletal tension at level of the mouth, neck and back which can make sucking complicated and hypo-valid.
Reason why the child may be irritable and frequently detaching from the breastor may falling asleep and being uninvited sucking.
The child could simply not showing 'symptoms' above but simply not to grow up enough because he eats little milk.
In such cases a good osteopath knows perfectly well how to intervene to improve the suction making it effective and nutritious!
8. When to contact a midwife and osteopath?
Since prompt action is necessary, it is advisable to contact both the midwife and the osteopath on the day of the birth or shortly afterwards to make appointments in the shortest possible time.
1. First obstetrical home visit
The first obstetrical visit is essential and usually takes place in the first 3 days after discharge with the specific aim of promoting mother-child-breastfeeding well-being with personalised counselling
2. First osteopathic examination
As with the midwife/breastfeeding counsellor visit, the first osteopathic visit is also essential to carry it out in the very first days of life; the sooner the better.
This immediately begins to resolve any contractures in the mouth/mandible jaw that limit themouth opening (creating fissures and pain) and prevent a nutritive sucking (causing the baby to grow very little and forcing the mother to add formula milk or use a breast pump).
9. Parents' testimonies
After theory always comes practice.
That is why such beautiful and comprehensive explanations must be matched by real therapeutic successes. The parents of the children I followed tell you about them, offering their testimony.
Francesca, mother of Federico
Luana, Aurora's mother
Laura, Nina's mother
Annarita and Enrico, parents of little Giovanni
Emanuela, mother
Dr Silva is a great professional. Welcoming and empathetic. Our super positive experience with a premature baby who had difficulty in sucking and a reflux problem. All resolved thanks to Matteo's manipulations...
Letizia, mother of Tommaso
Hi, I'm Letizia, mother of five-month-old Tommaso. Tommaso in utero had his head turned to one side, as often happens, and I was afraid this would lead to incorrect suckingto irritability and nervousness. A month after his birth, Matteo gave him his first treatment and Tommaso (and with him us!) was reborn! ...In short, Matteo with his professionalism and competence transformed us. Hurray for paediatric osteopaths!
Silvia, Laila's mother
Dr. Silva a professional, pragmatic person who always solved the problems we encountered in our breastfeeding and growth path; extremely helpful and accommodating, gentle and affectionate with the puppies he treats. He has followed us from birth and continues to do so to this day. It is a complete job that looks at all the psychomotor development of the baby and also focuses on the mother-baby relationship ❤️ thank you Dr. Silva!
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