Do you normally breathe with your mouth open or closed? What about when you sleep? Did you know that for optimal health, we are all supposed to breathe with our mouths closed, both during the day and overnight?

Sometimes, however, we can't (or don't!) breathe through our noses, due to habit or another physical restriction. Sometimes that restriction is a high palate! Oral myofunctional therapists are one type of provider who can help retrain your jaw and tongue to work together to achieve optimal breathing.

In this episode, we're interviewing Erica Cavaluzzi, an oral myofunctional therapist of Facial Fitness & Well-Being. She is helping us understand:

• What myofunctional therapy is
• Why mouth breathing is an issue
• How to stop mouth breathing (it's a loaded question!)
• How high palates can be connected to mouth breathing
• How orthodontics can both help and hurt

And so much more!

Have you ever heard of craniosacral therapy? I hadn't until our lactation consultant recommended we see one after our daughter's lip and tongue tie was released and it opened my eyes to a world that is so helpful and important!

In this episode, I'm interviewing our favorite craniosacral therapist, Keri Smith, who owns Nurturing Touch and Wellness in Northern Virginia.

In this episode, Keri shares:

• What craniosacral therapy is
• What craniosacral therapy can help with
• How craniosacral therapy can help when babies have tongue, lip, or cheek ties
• How craniosacral therapy can help when babies have a high palate
• How to find a trusted craniosacral therapist for your baby

And so much more!

If you're not local to Northern Virginia and you're looking for a trusted craniosacral provider, Keri recommends going to this website and searching for local therapists with the following qualifications:

• CS1 and CS2 (must-haves!)
• SER is ideal, as it teaches more inside-the-mouth work
• PED1 and CPBB, specific to pediatrics

Many of us have heard of tongue ties and lip ties, but without personal experience with those oral restrictions, it can be hard to really understand. It's important, however, for new and expecting parents to understand what oral restrictions are, as well as the signs and symptoms a baby might have those restrictions, so they can be the best advocates for their little ones, if necessary.

In this episode, Candy Baracat-Donovan, a Lactation Counselor with Like a Sister, is sharing both her personal and professional experience with lip and tongue ties so we can better understand the signs and symptoms, as well as the next steps to take if oral ties are suspected.

More Resources from Like a Sister:

• Postpartum Planning Toolkit
• New Parent Prep Class
• Feeding Basics Course
• Membership
• Follow on Instagram