How torticollis can effect breastfeeding

What is torticollis?

Torticollis is characterized by tension or stiffness that causes a baby to favor tilting and/or rotation to one side. Torticollis can develop in utero or as a result of trauma that occurs during or after birth. Babies with torticollis may have difficulty turning or tilting their head to their non-preferred side actively on their own or when passively stretched.

How can torticollis impact breastfeeding?

I often work with babies that favor one breast over the other and mothers may come to believe that one breast naturally produces more milk. While it is possible that one breast produces more milk for reasons unassociated, more often than not, the baby presents with tension in the neck that limits their mobility or comfort nursing on one side, thus making one breast more preferred, easy to feed at and consequently the bigger milk producer.

Because with most breastfeeding positions a baby does require to tilt and rotate towards the breast, this can make it uncomfortable to nurse on the side that requires movement away from the side that is tight.

What does this look like?

This might look like a baby showing hunger cues and wanting to eat, then getting upset when they are brought to the lesser preferred breast. It could also look like a baby accepting the lesser preferred breast when they are hungry, but pulling away intermittently or exhibiting lots of wiggling and movement during breastfeeding as baby tries to get comfortable.

How can I help to improve my baby's torticollis?

Reaching out to your local pediatric therapist trained in evaluating and treating torticollis in infants to evaluate the type and degree of torticollis is the first step. Your therapist will help you determine which side and which muscles are tight and which are weak. From there, they will help you to begin working on rotation (turning to the side) and lateral flexion (tilting to the side) to support your baby in lengthening the side that is short or tight. They will also help you in working on strengthening the side that is weak. Strengthening the weak side of the neck and trunk is crucial in treating torticollis.

Although every baby is of course unique, earlier intervention almost always leads to a shorter therapy duration and decreases the likelihood of baby requiring a helmet later on. Newborns may need as little as 1-4 sessions to resolve the issue.

If you are at all concerned that your baby is struggling with tension, presents with a flat head or that their tension is impacting feeding, don't wait until their 4 month appointment! Reach out to get support and resolve the issue early!