Breast/bottle feeding

Common concerns:

• Child pulls away from the breast or bottle
• Nipple/breast pain
• Poor latch
• Weak or absent suck
• Munches on nipple without active suckling
• Arches back/ hyperextends neck
• Closes lips preventing nipple from entering mouth
• Falls asleep during feeding
• Poor volume intake/lengthy feeds
• Upset at sight of the bottle/nipple or when placed in feeding position
• Poor hunger cues
• Better volume intake during dream feeding
• Poor suck/swallow/breath coordination

What’s involved:

During the initial feeding assessment we will observe your baby bottle feed or nurse. This allows us to assess your baby’s oral motor skills needed for nursing or bottle feeding. These include latch, sucking strength, suck swallow breath coordination, and swallowing function. We will also look at your baby’s behaviours during this time. These observations allow us to determine what is causing the breakdown in feeding. Based on these observations, in addition to a thorough case history, we will make appropriate recommendations and develop goals to address the feeding concerns.