In plain words
Head extension is the way a baby's head tips back a little during a feed. The chin drops, the lower jaw opens, and the mouth can open wide. This position lets the baby take more of the breast into the mouth, not only the nipple. Many lactation consultants describe it as part of a good latch. A baby who can open wide often has an easier time feeding. Head extension is not forcing the head back. It comes from the baby's own movement when the body is well supported. A mother may hear about it when a feed looks shallow or uncomfortable. Changes in position and body alignment can help a baby find this posture.
The deeper version
Deep is described as depending on head extension, which frees the mandible to gape. It goes with an asymmetric approach, in which the lower jaw takes more , and with body alignment that lets the infant hold the position without pulling. Lactation practice uses head position as a visual marker of latch quality. Standardized latch scores, such as the tool (Jensen and colleagues, 1994), assess head position alongside other items. Evidence linking specific head positions to nipple damage or is largely observational. Imaging studies of suckling support the mechanical model, but few trials compare positioning strategies on outcomes. The controversy is whether a standardized posture improves outcomes, or whether infants reach effective latch in several different ways.
Where it comes up
- Breastfeeding positionsFeeding Your Baby
- Getting a deep latchFeeding Your Baby
- Jaw tension, torticollis, and bodywork for feedingFeeding Your Baby
What mothers here say about head extension
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Jensen D, Wallace S, Kelsay P — LATCH: a breastfeeding charting system and documentation tool. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 1994