A while ago I asked how you hold your tongues at rest and when food is
approaching your mouth.  Turns out we're highly variable.

All of you but me (and my mother) have tongues that stay inside your teeth
when your face is at rest.

Almost all of you "escort" food into your mouths with your tongues.  That
is, your tongues extend over your lower teeth as food approaches.

Interestingly, everyone who was breastfed has a tongue that reaches
forward for food.  Most who were bottle-fed also have tongues that extend
toward food, but those whose tongues don't venture beyond their teeth were (in
this eensy-beensy sample) bottle-fed.  A couple of the descriptions of tongues
and food were particularly enthusiastic.  Those people were breastfed.  A
couple people described really "retiring" tongues.  And they were bottle-
fed.

I never expected that.  I just figured all tongues went forward over the
lower incisors toward incoming food, and was surprised when someone told
me her tongue didn't.  It does look as if *most* tongues go forward as the
fork or spoon approaches.  But I seem to be the only one whose tongue gets
pinched between her molars when she talks.  I guess no one can accuse me
of having a big mouth.  Big tongue, maybe.  (In fact, my mother and I can
touch our nose tips with our tongues.  Top that!)

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL  Ithaca, NY  [log in to unmask]