When a baby struggles to breastfeed, the focus often turns to the infant—and rightly so. Issues like latch difficulty, poor milk transfer, or fussiness at the breast are often signs that baby may need help. But what’s often overlooked is that feeding is a two-person dance, and mothers’ bodies and nervous systems are just as involved.

Breastfeeding is often described as "natural," but what many people don’t realize is just how much newborns rely on primitive reflexes to feed effectively. These reflexes aren’t just adorable responses—they’re essential survival tools, hardwired into your baby’s nervous system to help them find the breast, latch properly, and extract milk. Understanding these reflexes can help parents, caregivers, and professionals better support feeding, especially when challenges arise.