I recently met with Kirsten Hannan, an Osteopath and Lactation Consultant who has arrived on the Northern Beaches. We both support women through their pregnancy and postpartum in different ways and we had a great chat understanding each other’s services and skill set. I was interested in how she combined her services and asked her to write a piece - here she expands on common issues faced by mums and babies in the early days and weeks and how osteopathy and lactation support may help:
Over the last 15 years working as an Osteopath with a special interest in babies, many of my patients have come to see me due to difficulties with establishing effective, pain-free breastfeeding. Osteopaths are manual therapists or ‘bodyworkers’ who treat the muscles and joints of the body (and all of their connections) to reduce pain and improve movement and function. I also like to think of us as detectives, piecing together all of the pieces of the puzzle to come up with a complete picture of what is going on and how to fix it. Building on my Masters degree in Osteopathy, I qualified as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) so that I can offer gentle, hands-on care alongside evidence-based breastfeeding care and support.
There are many reasons why breastfeeding difficulties might occur in the early days and weeks. Getting the help of an experienced IBCLC can help overcome these difficulties. It can also help to identify some common physical problems that can make breastfeeding difficult for babies, such as torticollis (wry neck), neck tension and jaw issues - muscle and joint problems affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). These issues may be improved with Osteopathic treatment.
So why would a newborn baby have a stiff neck or problem with their jaw? People are often surprised that newborn babies can have muscle and joint problems.These may result from how the baby is positioned in the uterus during pregnancy or strain that occurs during the birth process, especially if labour was prolonged or forceps or vacuum have been used to assist in the birth. In some cases, a tight jaw may also be due to a physical issue like tongue-tie, where there is a tight membrane connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth that restricts movement. If the baby cannot turn their head comfortably, open wide or cannot reach their chin and tongue forward, this is likely to result in a shallow latch and ineffective suckling, which is often painful for mum.
There are some common breastfeeding signs that you can look out for that might suggest a baby may have a jaw issue:
Difficulty in achieving a comfortable and effective latch, often due to not opening the mouth wide enough. This can be more pronounced on one breast. Baby may slip or slide off the breast or not take in a big enough mouthful of breast to get a nice deep latch. Mums will often report that their baby won’t open wide when latching.
Ineffective suckling, often resulting in sore nipples.
Milk dribbling out of the mouth when at the breast due to poor seal.
Clamping, biting or chewing the nipple or chomping at the breast rather than smooth, rhythmic suckling.
Sucking in the lips, dimpling of the cheeks, slurping, clicking, or losing the seal at the breast.
In addition to the breastfeeding issues described above, some of the physical signs to look out for in babies are:
Baby has a preference to turn their head to one side only or keep their head to one side.
Baby prefers a side at the breast.
Baby shows head or facial asymmetry.
Another breastfeeding pain that has been estimated to affect two thirds of women at some time during their breastfeeding journey is blocked milk ducts. At times, if not treated early, this can result in inflammation of the breast, which may lead to mastitis. Blocked ducts can be treated using a modality called therapeutic ultrasound, a painless technology we use in the clinic which can help to break up blockages and encourage normal milk flow. I use Canadian breastfeeding expert, Dr Jack Newman’s, protocol and patients find it gentle and effective. By addressing posture and restoring the normal mechanics of the spine, osteopathic treatment can also promote better blood flow to and from the breast, a healthy nerve supply and lymphatic drainage to the breast area.
Breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt! Seeking out early breastfeeding support is often key to establishing a mutually beneficial breastfeeding relationship and a happier mum and baby.
Kirsten Hannan B App Sc (Ost), M. Ost, IBCLC
To find more information on Kirsten, go to
https://www.kirstenhannanosteo.com
You will find her at Body of Life Health Centre in Frenchs Forest https://bodyoflife.com.au
To find a lactation consultant in your area, go to:
https://www.lcanz.org/find-a-lactation-consultant/ or
https://www.osteopathy.org.au/find-an-osteo for your local osteopath.