There is a lot pressure to breast feed a baby. However, for many it is a difficult and emotionally charged journey. Just because women have breasts, doesn’t mean that a baby will naturally latch and everything goes smoothly. Often, complications can arise that lead breastfeeding to become difficult and even overwhelming. Below are some breastfeeding myths explained.

Breastfeeding comes naturally

Breastfeeding, just like anything new, requires time, patience, practice, and problem solving. Babies are reflexively born looking for a mother’s breast. However, many mothers need support with positioning of baby and making sure the baby has a good latch. Just because a body is biologically predisposed to something, does not mean it will be easy. It can be frustrating, especially during this emotional time in a new family’s life.

Nipple pain is normal

Many women say they have experienced pain while breastfeeding. However, pain is not considered normal. Initially when breastfeeding there may be slight discomfort, pulling, or tugging, but it should be painless. If you find yourself anticipating pain, not wanting to breastfeed due to pain, or tensing up when your baby begins to nurse, ask for help.

You need to toughen nipples before breastfeeding

When you are pregnant your breasts undergo normal changes that get them ready for breastfeeding. One example is that the area around your nipples will thicken and oils will be produced in your areola. This assists with lubrication and protection. Oxytocin is released at the onset of breastfeeding. This makes it easier for your baby to latch onto your nipples. Some women do have difficulty with nipple size, structure, or sensitivity, though a lactation consultant can assist you with techniques that can help baby latch.

If breastfeeding is hard, it will only get harder

Some breastfeeding issues are manageable but even in a short amount of time, challenging ones may arise. These could include nipple pain, nipple breakdown, thrush, or a painful latch. Other problems, such as low milk supply or baby having difficulty latching and getting milk, may require a professional to provide assistance.

If you have small breasts you won’t produce enough milk

A woman’s ability to produce milk is not determined by breast size, which is fat and does not contribute to milk production. What does is the breast tissue, which produces milk.

You can’t get pregnant while you are breastfeeding

This is one of the most common breastfeeding myths. You can get pregnant at any time while breastfeeding if you are having sex. It is less likely during the first six months if your baby is nursing every 2-3 hours, nursing at night, or your period has not returned. However, it can happen, so do not rely on breastfeeding as a form of contraception.

If you do not breast feed, you are a bad mom

The most important of the breastfeeding MYTHS. A lot of moms choose not to breast feed or are unable to do so. What is important is that your baby is fed, whether breast, bottle, or a combination of both. Your baby will thrive on your love and affection, not the method by which they are fed.

If you have questions regarding breastfeeding or are experiencing complications, seek assistance right away. Alyssa Lundquist, a speech-language pathologist AND certified lactation counselor, can help with breastfeeding issues from both mom and baby’s perspective. Or click here for more breastfeeding information.

Does your child say “tup” for “cup” or “doe” for “go?” When children substitute the “t” sound for “k” or the “d” sound for “g,” it’s called fronting. This is a fairly common substitution for children as they are learning their sounds and starting to talk. It is not considered normal as your child gets older. By the age of four years, children should be making their “k” and “g” sounds consistently. If you have a three-year-old who is still consistently substituting front sounds (t, d) for back sounds (k, g) speech therapy may be necessary to help your child work on “k” and “g” sounds.

Some children require more direct teaching to learn how to move their tongue in order to make “k” and “g” sounds. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has more information on sound pattern errors and when they should be eliminated. You can also check out our blog on speech sound development for more information.

Why Are K’s and G’s Hard To Make?

K’s and g’s are a little trickier to teach than some other sounds. This is because it’s hard to see what your tongue is doing when you make them. Unlike “b” or “t” which are very visual sounds. You can easily see what your tongue and lips are doing to make them. “K” and “g” are made with the back of your tongue elevating to the back roof of your mouth (velum). This isn’t easily visible.

Modeling Is Important

One of the most important things you can do if your child is having a hard time making k’s and g’s (or any sound for that matter) is modeling the correct way to make the sound. If you hear your child say “tar” for “car” repeat the word correctly. For example, if your child says, “I want the red tar,” you would then say, “I want the red car.” It’s also helpful to emphasize the target word. This way your child can start to become aware of the difference in their production and your production. Along with repeating the word using the correct sounds, it’s also helpful and easy to provide a visual cue. As you are saying “car” you can touch your throat to show your child that the “k” sound is made in the back of the mouth.

How To Practice “K” and “G” Sounds

Some children may only need correct models and a little visual reinforcement in order to start making their “k” and “g” sounds correctly. Others may need a little more help including hands on support. In order to make the “k” and “g” sounds the back of your tongue has to elevate and make contact with your soft palate.  Because of this, “k” and “g” sounds are great to work on before bed, while your child is laying down. This may help their tongue to naturally relax. Gravity will help to elevate the back of their tongue to the roof of their mouth.

Great Books For Practicing Sounds

There are some children’s books that have lots of “k” and “g” sounds too. These would be a great addition to your night time story routine. Your child will be able to hear the sounds being made correctly multiple times. It would also be a great time to practice some of the words you read.

Books for K sound:

The Cow That Went OINK by Bernard Most

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff

Books for G sound:

Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site by Jane Belk Moncure

We’re Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Gooey Gummy Geese by Angela Holzer

More Tips and Tricks to Make “K” and “G” Sounds

Lastly, sometimes a tactile reinforcement such as use of a Dum Dum lollipop, a tongue depressor, or even your finger may help them to learn how to keep the tip of their tongue down while elevating the back of their tongue. It may be beneficial to have a speech pathologist guide you initially on how to provide these tactile cues. Use a Dum Dum to gently press down on the tip of their tongue while slightly pushing back. While doing this, you can model the “k” or “g” sound for your child to imitate. Holding the tip of the tongue down with the lollipop keeps the tip of their tongue from rising to make the “t” or “d” sound.

The Dum Dum can also be used to touch the back of their tongue and the back section of the roof of their mouth. This will allow them to start to feel where the correct part of their tongue needs to move in their mouth. Mouths are sensitive areas though, so be mindful not to push to hard or move the Dum Dum too far back. This could make your child gag.

Seeking Additional Help

If you have tried these things with your kiddo, and they still seem to be having trouble, it might be time to reach out to a speech-language pathologist. They can provide additional help to work on their “k” and/or “g” sounds. An SLP will be able to provide direct guided instruction. They will also be able to rule out if your child is having any other challenges which may be causing their difficulty making k’s and g’s.

Binky, pacifier, paci, dummy, soother – there are so many names! At least once a week the conversation of pacifiers is brought up to me as a speech therapist. Will it ruin our breastfeeding journey? Is it going to be a sleep crutch for my baby? How much does it really impact speech development? Do we need to care about his teeth moving? “My sister had hers until 4, and she’s fine!” It can be hard to make the right call when it comes to this parenting decision. Something that appears so simple can often leave parents lacking confidence in their choice. So, let’s talk about some pacifier facts from the perspective of a speech therapist – pros and cons of pacifier use as well as when we recommend calling it quits!

Pacifier Facts – Pros of Use:

• In newborns and infants, research shows that use of a pacifier during naps and bedtime may help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Sucking is a natural soothing reflex. Use of a pacifier may be calming to your new addition.
• Use of a pacifier may help baby fall asleep faster and for longer periods of time. Scattering a few around the crib so that baby can replace a lost pacifier themselves is a good strategy to avoid the “baby drops pacifier, cries, mom and dad have to go replace it” pattern some parents feel stuck in at night time.
• There is limited evidence that pacifier use in breastfed babies leads to nipple confusion or decreased success in feeding. In fact, infants in the NICU are often presented with pacifiers to practice the patterns of sucking and swallowing as they learn to feed more effectively. Talk to your doctor or lactation counselor to make the right choice for you.

Pacifier Facts – Cons of Use:

• It can be a hard habit to break – though ideas like a Pacifier Fairy exchanging for a special present, giving them away to a younger sibling, or going cold turkey are often effective in just a few days! You can do it!
• Changes in dentition – prolonged pacifier use can lead to significant changes in the development patterns of a child’s palate and teeth, later impacting speech sound development, feeding, and orthodontia needs. We can usually tell if a toddler was a long time pacifier user or thumb sucker just by the shape of their smile when they enter the office!
• Speech and language delays – evidence shows children who use a pacifier for the majority of their day past the age of one are more likely to have delayed language development. If their mouth is occupied by a pacifier all day, they are limited in the exploration of sounds and words during play!

Recommendations:

• During the early months, use a pacifier to calm baby, but never ignore hunger cues. Baby needs to eat when they are hungry, even if the binky appears to calm them instead.
• Early hunger cues may include: bringing hands to mouth, opening and closing mouth, fidgeting, sticking tongue out and/or fussing or crying.
• Limit pacifier use to nap time and bedtime only by one year of age. Leave them in the crib!
• Eliminate all pacifier use around age 2. Talk to your dentist or pediatrician if you have more specific concerns.
• If your child has access to their binkies during play time, encourage them to remove them when playing with you. This will encourage language exploration and babbling.

Have more questions or concerns? Ask you speech therapist for more information! You can get more information related to pacifier use and reduced SIDS risks from the American Academy of Pediatrics. For families that might be struggling to ditch the pacifier, check out Binka Bear.

A MOSAIC holiday gift guide just in time!!! We hear you!! All of us get pulled into the Amazon or Google toy search and frequently we buy on impulse or because the toy looks “good,” especially for ages 1-3. We tend to recommend that parents go back to simpler times and maximize development by setting up the following toys on the carpet/rug or bathtub and let the play take form.

Holiday Gift Guide for Ages 1-3

• Balls
• Musical instruments
• Race track/cars/trains/trucks
• Stuffed animal/baby doll
• Wood toys – pull aparts/shape sorting/banging toys
• Books – hard back/thick pages for turning (board books)
• Bath toys
• Bubble makers

At ages 3-5 years kids get more into the pretend play realm. Once again, keep it simple. Start using a toy organization system so the kiddos can pull out preferred toys and then put them away. Too many toys laying around is not particularly successful in getting kids to seek out their interests.

Gifts for Ages 3-5

• Cooking/baking/kitchens
• Tool shop
• Construction sets
• Cleaning house items
• Familiar character toys
• Dress up boxes

Really any grown-up or adult job or activity works for pretend play because they want to be like us!!

• Any interest – dinosaurs, animals, mermaids, dollhouse
• Lincoln logs/stacking games
• Puzzles

In general, 1-3 year old children are best at exploring and learning different ways to play with both familiar and new items. As they grow into 3-5 years of age they want to be completing something and specific interests and goals emerge as stories take shape in their imaginations. Above all, remember that the purpose of toys is to support growth and development including imagination, creativity, movement, and socialization. Therefore, if a toy is too busy, too fancy, too easy, too “educational” it is likely not a great fit for development. And don’t forget that you, the parent, are the most important part of play!!!

In addition, use our MOSAIC holiday gift guide and support two LOCAL toy shops this holiday season:

Giggles Toys and More

Rocky Mountain Toy Company

Last week, in Part 1 of “What is Occupational Therapy?”, I spoke about what OTs look at for in the age range of birth to 4 years. I will now discuss ages 5-18 years. Remember, I am looking at the overall development levels of the child. I need to know this information in order to help families and children reach the ultimate goal of OT treatment. The ultimate goal is to support a child’s ability to participate in their daily living activities.

What is Occupational Therapy Assessing?

I begin by assessing cognitive, sensory, motor, and social-emotional skills. I am going to give a brief explanation of each followed by specifics for specific age ranges.

Cognitive

How is the child developing cognitively? This includes looking at basic arousal and attention skills as well as what is labeled as executive function skills.

Sensory

How does the child respond to the sensations they receive on a daily basis? This includes how they take in sounds, sights, smells, tastes, touch, and movement to interpret and respond.

Motor

How is the child moving? What skills do they have? This includes the basics of strength, mobility, balance, and coordination. I am also looking at how they plan and execute movement as a whole.

Social-Emotional

How is the child developing their abilities to understand themselves, their emotions, and how they interact with others?

Occupational Therapy for School Age (5 to 12 Years)

Firstly, I am looking to see how developmental skills from early childhood are carrying over and how the child participates in school demands. I am now looking at motor and cognitive skills needed to participate in structured learning. Is motor planning supporting more organized play, sports involvement, and daily living? Are a child’s social-emotional skills growing so they can now manage themselves in the family and in learning environments? This is where OTs are also called in to look more closely at fine motor skills and visual skills. It is also a time where we hear more about executive function skills. This age range is where these skills become more noticeable by parents and teachers. Now I am looking to see if problem-solving, time management, organization skills, etc., are growing?

I also continue to look at participation in routines and how independent a child is becoming. Can a child manage their self-care, feeding, and toileting? Some OTs will specialize in feeding (mealtime routines, behavior, self-feeding), toileting (potty training routines, bladder/bowel control), primitive reflexes, visual development (more specific when visual problems are present), sleep, sensory processing, mental health, social skill training, and learning challenges or disabilities.

Occupational Therapy for School Age/Adolescents (13-18 Years)

OTs continue to support all areas of development. In addition, in this age range, I am looking at how to continue supporting growth. Involvement in school; academics and social participation. Are executive functioning skills supporting higher levels of independence? Have motor skills continued to grow? Some OTs will specialize in mental health, social skill training, learning challenges or disabilities, driving, and vocational/job training.

Finally, the key to what makes OTs experts in their area is their ability to take all of this information and develop a treatment plan that will improve a child’s overall participation in daily activities. Of course, these activities vary with every child and family. Hopefully the information provided here can help better explain what an OT is thinking about when working with your child. For more information, check out the American Occupational Therapy Association’s What is OT? brochure.