I have several thoughts on Utrom life, and this is one of them.
Utrom mouths are pretty big, probably so when they were living pre-civilized lives, they could eat quickly without getting attacked by their natural predators. But it also helped to protect their offspring from danger, like a few types of fish on Earth.
It's considered archaic for modern Utroms, even gross by some, but there are those that will still do it. They usually live in rural groups, and have their own opinion on those that object to mouth carrying: stuck up.