Occupational Therapy and Breastfeeding Support
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated August 1 - 8 each year. I thought this was an excellent opportunity to talk about why OT and breastfeeding are a match made in heaven.
Occupational Therapists work to promote function in activities and tasks that are important to our clients. Pediatric Occupational therapists work within the context of the family to help children perform tasks that are necessary like eating, bathing, dressing, and sleeping and tasks that the family would like to do together like going to the park, attending events and movies and participating in worship services. Lactation professionals support new parents and babies in learning how to have a successful breastfeeding relationship whether that means exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive pumping or somewhere in the middle.
Occupational therapists have an extensive amount of training in anatomy and motor skills development, as well as the development of feeding skills that gives them a unique perspective when approaching difficulties with lactation. Our focus on the whole family can also be helpful in finding ways for mom to feel supported, partner and other children to feel involved, and baby to be fed and growing. We can also offer support in the areas of daily routines, infant sleep, motor skill development, and state regulation and are especially suited to detect possible developmental concerns early on.
According to this article in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, breastfeeding can be viewed as an occupation related to feeding, eating, child-rearing and health and wellness promotion. When we use this idea, Occupational therapists are well suited to address breastfeeding in special needs populations, but also in healthy populations who are experiencing barriers to successful breastfeeding whether it's environmental, societal or personal.
As an occupational therapist with a passion for supporting early infant feeding, I have obtained my certification as a Lactation Counselor. I have a combined total of 5 years (and counting) breastfeeding my own children with plenty of hiccups along the way. Throughout my journey I have seen many families with feeding difficulties in the toddler years and parent interview usually reveals that feeding has been a challenge since birth. My hope is to provide more families with feeding support as early as possible to reduce the number of children who face feeding challenges as they get older. A comprehensive interview and evaluation; either through telehealth or in person; helps determine family goals, strengths and possible barriers preventing the most successful feeding relationship possible. Treatment sessions can then focus on building upon strengths and working as a team to determine workable solutions for the family.
Contact us if you would like to find out how we can assist you and your family in the breastfeeding journey.
