An ultrasound study demonstrates how the biomechanics of infant suck change after a gestalt intervention
On this page we examine a study which examines the biomechanics of infant suck and swallow in detail, and how context (that is, mother-baby positional changes) alters suck-swallow biomechanics.
The 2022 study, "A brief gestalt intervention changes ultrasound measures of tongue movement during breastfeeding: case series", is located here, and investigates five mother-baby pairs. You might like to look at the online version of this publication in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, because that's where the supplemental videos are playable (- they're not available in the pdf version).
To understand this study, it's important to note
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The problems each mother-baby pair presented with
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The detailed explanation of the biomechanics of a gestalt intervention, here.
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Additional File 1, which runs through the key clinical steps of the gestalt intervention, which may be useful to revise. You can find it here (and it can also be downloaded from the 2022 publication)
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Additional File 2 is a word document which runs through clinical observations before and after a brief gestalt intervention was applied in the lab. This is best being read alongside viewing the videos and photos in the supplemental materials online, and is an important way to check out your capacity to conduct a deep analysis of fit and hold.
Related resources
Ultrasound and vacuum studies elucidate the biomechanics of the infant suck cycle in breastfeeding
Additional File 1: about the gestalt method (adapted from Douglas & Keogh 2017).docx
Additional File 2. Cases A-E clinical observations pre & post gestalt intervention (Douglas Perrella Geddes 2022).docx
Figure 1 US measurements pre & post brief gestalt intervention.pdf
Figure 2 US measurements pre & post gestalt intervention.pdf
Figure 3 US measurements pre & post gestalt intervention + frenotomy comparison.pdf
Reference
Douglas PS, Perrella SL, Geddes DT. A brief gestalt intervention changes ultrasound measures of tongue movement during breastfeeding: case series. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2022;22(1):94. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-12021-04363-12887.