Newborn babies are able to breathe and suck at the same time due to:

c. High larynx(Ref: Nelson's 20/e p, Ghai 8/e p 134-136)Differences between the airway of a young infant, child and adult include:Oral cavity is small in a newborn & totally filled by tongue due to slightly retracted lower jawThe soft palate & epiglottis are in contact at rest, providing an additional valve at the back of the oral cavityInfant larynx has a short funnel shaped lumen, that is disproportionately narrower than that of adultThe larynx and hyoid cartilage are higher in the neck and closer to the base of the epiglottisThis high position enables an infant to use its nasal airway to breathe while sucking