Breastfeeding Promotes What??

I missed World Breastfeeding Week by about a month, but I still want to talk about it! You always hear about how breastfeeding is so important for nutrition, but I want to shed light on some other benefits.

Promotes Elevated Tongue Posture

When an infant is nursing, the tongue must elevate up and around the nipple and suckle in a rhythmic motion (elevating tip to base) to extract milk. This motion teaches the tongue to elevate and rest on the palate. It should also be noted that thumb/finger or pacifier sucking places a barrier between the tongue and the palate. While I’m not saying to never use a pacifier (because parents have to do what they have to do to survive sometimes), but to be mindful when using one. It’s best to “soothe and remove” rather than leave a pacifier in an infant’s mouth for extended periods of time between feedings or all night long. The pacifier I recommend is this one!

Read: Why Is Nasal Breathing So Important?

Breastfeeding Builds Necessary Musculature

Muscle strength is important because form follows function. Meaning, muscles put stress on the bone structure which stimulate local bone growth. Simply put, the stronger our facial muscles, the more skeletal bone growth. Breastfeeding and bottle feeding use two different sets of muscles. In general, the baby has to work much harder and much more strength is required to extract breastmilk from the mother than from a bottle. Just like consistent exercise builds desired muscle strength in other parts of our body, breastfeeding builds desired muscle strength in the muscles of the face and tongue.

Promotes Optimal Growth and Development

We’ve talked about form following function and now that we’ve addressed the “function” portion, let’s address the “form” portion. The desired “form” of our facial structure is with a broad, U-shaped palate with room for all 32 teeth to erupt. We’re also looking for a large airway with large nasal passages. A properly functioning musculature stimulates growth in the suture lines making optimal growth possible.

I plan to write a post soon addressing common myths and offer some troubleshooting tips if breastfeeding is difficult or not going as planned. Reach out to your local IBCLC for support if you have concerns!