Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC) or the Possums programs uses de-stigmatising and woman-centred language
| Preferred terms when delivering Neuroprotective Developmental Care or the Possums programs | Technical or popular terms that are not recommended |
|---|---|
| Face-breast bury | Facio-mandibular-to-breast symmetry(Thompson et al 2016) |
| Mother-baby pair, mother-baby CAS (complex adaptive system) | Dyad |
| Dialed up | Conditioned sympathetic nervous system (SNS) hyperarousal, stressed |
| Dialed down | Calm |
| Conditioned dialing up | Oral aversion, breast refusal |
| Fit and hold | Latch, attachment, positioning |
| Fit onto the breast | Latch or attach |
| Open the mouth | Gape |
| Generous breast | Large breast |
| Delicate or petite breast | Small breast |
| Round tummy | Fat stomach |
| Healthy bonding | Attachment (psychological) |
| Difficult thoughts and feelings, worried thoughts | Rumination, anxiety, feeling depressed |
| Dialed up at the breast | Oral aversion; breast refusal; conditioned SNS hyperarousal |
| Sensitivity at the breast | Oral aversion; breast refusal; conditioned SNS hyperarousal |
| Workability and experimentation | Natural or instinctual behaviours or natural breastfeeding |
| Nipple and breast tissue drag in the baby's mouth | Vector of force which conflict with intra-oral vacuum, resulting in decrease intra-oral breast tissue volume |
| Milk removal | Draining or emptying the breast, which falsely implies that the breast can be or must be 'emptied' during a feed |
| Frequent and flexible breastfeeds | Breastfeeding on demand |
| Nipples look | Nipples point |
| Smooth muscle contraction of nipples, nipple contraction | Nipple erection |
| Breast fall - where the breasts and nipples fall naturally in response to gravity | |
| Oral searching reflex | Rooting |
| Too far around the corner | Breast tissue drag too far towards the breastfeeding mother's arm (too far towards the same side as the baby is breastfeeding from) |
| Nipple and areola | Nipple-areolar complex |
| Can't overfeed a breastfed baby; baby is dialing up due to hunger for sensory motor nourishment | Overfeeding, overtired, overstimulation |
Recommended resources
Woman-centred language and weight-inclusive care of breastfeeding and lactating women
Selected references
Crawford E, Waldby L, Crook E. New perspectives on responsive infant care: a qualitative study of the ways in which Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC) shapes mother-infant co-occupations. Journal of Occupational Science. 2023:https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.14422023.12236117.
Crawford E, Whittingham K, Pallett E, Douglas PS, Creedy DK. An evaluation of Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC/Possums Programs) in the first 12 months of life. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2022;26(1):110-123.
Douglas PS, Keogh R. Gestalt breastfeeding: helping mothers and infants optimise positional stability and intra-oral breast tissue volume for effective, pain-free milk transfer. Journal of Human Lactation. 2017;33(3):509-518
Thompson RE, Kruske S, Barclay L, Linden K, Gao Y, Kildea SV. Potential predictors of nipple trauma from an in-home breastfeeding programme: a cross-sectional study. Women and Birth. 2016;29:336-344.
