Early feeding skills and first foods

*Publications marked with this symbol are available for DSV members to borrow from the DSV Resource Library.

*Australian Breastfeeding Association (2009) Breastfeeding your baby with Down syndrome
Great little booklet with lots of information, advice and further resources. Other ABA booklets include: Breastfeeding and hospitalisation, Breastfeeding your premature baby, Expressing and storing breastmilk, Gastro-oesophageal reflux and the breastfed baby. Available from the Australian Breastfeeding Association, www.breastfeeding.asn.au or ph (03) 9885 0855

Australian Breastfeeding Association (2009) Breastfeeding a baby with Down syndrome
Abridged information from the above ABA booklet.

Down Syndrome New Zealand Feeding your baby

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Breastfeeding an infant with
Down syndrome Patient/family education fact sheet

Down Syndrome Ireland Supporting feeding and oral development in young children with Down syndrome, congenital heart disease and feeding difficulties
Describes the feeding process, different feeding positions and offers advice for dealing with a number of common feeding difficulties. Covers breast, bottle and tube feeding.

Fiocca, Sharon (2007) Oral motor and feeding skills
[This article is located on the Riverbend Down Syndrome Parent Group site, click on 'Therapies', then 'Oral']. Comprehensively covers oral motor development and ways in which parents can assist development of oral motor and feeding skills in babies and young children with Down syndrome.

*Medlen, Joan E (2006) 'Breast or bottle feeding', ch 6 pp 69-79 in The Down syndrome nutrition handbook. A guide to promoting healthy lifestyles Phronesis Publishing
Good general information including advice relating to common difficulties and concerns.

Mohrbacher, Nancy and Julie Stock (2000) The breastfeeding answer book La Leche League
This book is intended for use by breastfeeding counsellors and other professionals and is very comprehensive - not all of it is relevant for breastfeeding mothers. However, it includes sections on Down syndrome and on feeding premature babies.

*Price, Sue & Rose-Anne Kelso (1993) 'Feeding' pp 38-45 in Down syndrome: Moving through life Yvonne Burns & Pat Gunn (eds)
This is a short section in an older text, and mostly concerns bottle feeding. It includes some useful photographs illustrating techniques to assist efficient feeding.

Mothers' stories of breastfeeding

Cole, Dee (1998) Nobody smiles like I do, reproduced from New Beginnings, Journal of La Leche League Vol 15 no 4

Boeve-Kroese, Alma Don't say it's impossible! reproduced from Essence magazine, Australian Breastfeeding Association, Vol 42, no 1

Introducing solid foods

Medlen, Joan E From milk to table foods: a parent's guide to introducing food textures in Disability Solutions Vol 3 issue 3 Jan/Feb 1999
Comprehensive information and advice for the introduction of solid food and different food textures. Recommended for all parents.

Medlen, Joan Guthrie (2007) Creating successful mealtimes/Moving ahead with food: matching oral motor skills and food textures

*Medlen, Joan E (2006) The Down syndrome nutrition handbook. A guide to promoting healthy lifestyles Phronesis Publishing
The excellent and definitive guide to healthy eating and all the skills needed for this, from infancy onwards, for individuals with Down syndrome.

Van Vuren, Marinet (2009) Sensory feeding difficulties Down Syndrome Centre, Ireland
Brief overview of sensory feeding disorder and where to seek advice relating to this.