Development of feeding

Feeding is one of the most significant occupations of early infancy both in terms of the time involved and the importance for ensuring ongoing growth and development. Feeding difficulties can be a source of great anxiety for parents. Infant feeding is an intimate relationship between infant and parent and therefore feeding development will be influenced by the attunement in the relationship.

The development of feeding includes progressions of:

• liquid and solid feeds (amount, type and frequency)
• oral-motor abilities.

Knowledge of normal motor development is an important prerequisite for providing positioning suggestions to promote optimal feeding.