Presentation Information

Feeding with Feeling: The Hidden Power of Proprioception

• Speaker: Jacklynn Knotts , OTR/L, IBCLC, CNT, NTMTC
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 540 Mins
• Credits:

Abstract:

Breastfeeding is more than a nutritional act. It is a profoundly sensory and motor experience. Among the lesser-discussed but critically important systems involved in feeding is the proprioceptive system: the body’s ability to sense position, movement, and force. During breastfeeding, infants receive rich proprioceptive input through deep pressure, joint activation, and muscle engagement that support postural control, body awareness, and regulation. These sensory experiences help infants build the foundations for safe, efficient feeding.

Equally important, proprioceptive input aids in emotional regulation for both the infant and the breastfeeding parent. Infants benefit from the calming, organizing effects of deep pressure and containment, while parents experience enhanced body awareness, confidence in positioning, and physiological regulation through close contact and synchrony with their baby. This co-regulation is central to feeding success, comfort, and the parent-infant bond.

When breastfeeding is disrupted or absent, infants may miss opportunities for proprioceptive input that support motor development, midline orientation, and self-regulation. This webinar will explore the role of proprioception in breastfeeding, with a brief discussion of vestibular and interoceptive contributions. Participants will learn how sensory foundations influence feeding success and practical strategies to support proprioceptive input in both breast- and bottle-feeding contexts.