{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,3]],"date-time":"2026-05-03T23:51:50Z","timestamp":1777852310720,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":12,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,1]],"date-time":"2024-08-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1722470400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Hum Lact"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>One of the core skills required in lactation support is understanding and correcting ineffective or painful breastfeeding. The behavior being corrected, however, occurs inside the infant\u2019s mouth, making it difficult to see and assess. When providing care in the field, we use standardized tools and digital suck exams. In research, instruments have been developed to measure infant suck strength with a pacifier, bottle, or at the breast using ultrasound. The aim of this article is to introduce a simple manual clinical technique to identify areas of weakness in an infant\u2019s suck and describe one treatment option that can be used to reduce weakness in the identified area. During the Infant Suck Strength Exam, the lactation support provider places a finger on the breast 2 to 4\u2009cm from the edge of the infant\u2019s mouth at the upper and lower lip and then at both corners of the mouth, testing the strength of the suck in each of these four areas. To address any specific areas of weakness, the nursing parent can be taught to apply light skin traction back toward the chest wall at the affected area. This engages the suckling reflex and amplifies the strength of the infant\u2019s suck in that particular area. The traction applied should not indent the breast but rather just pull back on the skin. It should be applied with enough strength to challenge the infant without pulling the breast out. This is a teaching tool, and is typically only needed for a few weeks before the infant improves their nursing habits.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/08903344241257227","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,21]],"date-time":"2024-08-21T19:14:50Z","timestamp":1724267690000},"page":"414-418","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Infant Suck Strength Exam: Introduction of an Accessible Clinical Technique for Measuring Infant Suck at the Breast"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"40","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5611-8778","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ellen","family":"Chetwynd","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/08903344231209306"},{"key":"bibr2-08903344241257227","volume-title":"Nobody ever told me (or my mother) that!: Everything from bottles and breathing to healthy speech development","author":"Bahr D.","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr3-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1319798111"},{"key":"bibr4-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13093071"},{"key":"bibr5-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.earlhumdev.2007.12.008"},{"key":"bibr6-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1552-6909.1994.tb01847.x"},{"key":"bibr7-08903344241257227","volume-title":"Breastfeeding: A guide for the medical professional","author":"Lawrence R. A.","year":"2021"},{"key":"bibr8-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Matthews M. K. (1988). Developing an instrument to assess infant breastfeeding behaviour in the early neonatal period. Midwifery, 4(4), 154\u2013165. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S02666138(88)80071-8","DOI":"10.1016\/S0266-6138(88)80071-8"},{"key":"bibr9-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/089033449200800216"},{"key":"bibr10-08903344241257227","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/JTEHM.2022.3231788"},{"key":"bibr11-08903344241257227","volume-title":"Supporting sucking skills in breastfeeding infants","author":"Watson Genna C","year":"2016"},{"key":"bibr12-08903344241257227","volume-title":"The breastfeeding atlas","author":"Wilson-Clay B.","year":"2008","edition":"4"}],"container-title":["Journal of Human Lactation"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/08903344241257227","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/08903344241257227","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/08903344241257227","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T22:34:23Z","timestamp":1777502063000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/08903344241257227"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]},"references-count":12,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/08903344241257227"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/08903344241257227","relation":{},"ISSN":["0890-3344","1552-5732"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0890-3344","type":"print"},{"value":"1552-5732","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]}}}