Breastfeeding: how do they do it? Infant sucking, swallowing and breathing
Coordination of suck, swallowing and breathing during breastfeeding is one of the most intricate processes an infant is required to perform. Efficiency and efficacy of feeding is based on the ability to synchronise all processes while maintaining good cardiovascular stability. Infants are able to suck and swallow, suck and breathe but are unable to breathe and swallow simultaneously. Despite the sophistication of this technique there is poor understanding of the mechanism as most of the research in this area has been performed on bottle fed term and preterm infants. Clinical management of sucking problems is largely addressed by advice on improving positioning and attachment of the infant to the breast. This approach, however, has not solved the majority of problems with a significant proportion of women still weaning prematurely due to infant sucking issues.