Latch On and Positioning
Positioning
Comfort for mom and baby is the first
priority. first you need to get comfortable with good back support
and arm and leg supports. You may need a nursing stool or a
breastfeeding pillow. There are many brands available. Then you need
to get baby comfortable. Baby should feel secure. He won’t nurse if
he feels like he will
fall.
There are many positions you can try. The
most important thing to remember, whatever
position you try, is to have baby's ears, shoulders and hips
are in a straight
line.
| Cradle hold
The cradle hold is the most commonly used position. This is very
comfortable and easy to use as baby become better at attaching
herself to the breast. However in the beginning, this may be a
difficult hold for first time mothers to use. In the cradle hold,
baby's head should be supported in the elbow and mom with gold her
breast with her other hand. Remember to align the ears shoulders
and hip. Baby should be on his side, not back. Tummy
to tummy, chest to
chest. |
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Clutch/football
hold
The football hold
is a great hold for new moms or mothers that have had a cesarian
section. It can help keep pressure off of the mother's tummy. In the
football hold, baby is either sitting up along your side with your
hand supporting the back of the neck and your other hand supporting
your breast. Or baby can be on her side, along side of your side. Some mothers are
concerned about "squishing" baby in this position, but try and remember
where he just came
from. |
|
Modified Cradle / Cross
Cradle
The cross cradle hold is
the one I use the most when helping new mothers. It help them to
have a little more control of the baby's head when latching on. In
this hold, baby lays across your lap as in the cradle hold, but your
arm goes across his back
and your support the back of baby's neck and hold your
breast with the opposite
arm. |
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Side Lying
The side
lying position also works great if you have had a cesarian section
or if baby is having a growth spurt or you are just very tired. It
is best to try and not nurse laying down on a couch or sofa. (many
times mothers may fall asleep while nursing and some studies have
shown that sleeping on a sofa with baby is unsafe.) Lay on your bed,
on your side and depending on the size of your breast and your baby,
you would either put your arm under baby's neck or
up by your head. Baby will be laying next to you
facing you, on his
side. |
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Latch
on
First, you want to uncover your breasts. You
want all of your clothing out of the way. Support your breast
with the “C” or “U” hold. You want to position your fingers to where
the thumb and index finger aligns with the baby's nose and chin.
Keep your areola free of clothing or fingers. Tickle the
upper lip with the nipple to
get baby to open WIDE. You may have heard to tickle the lower lip, which
will work as well. I prefer the upper lip because when baby opens
his mouth, it is easier to get the nipple over the
tongue. Quickly pull the baby in close to you. The nose and chin you
touch the breast, with the chin in deep and the nose lightly touching
the breast. Do Not make an “air hole”, baby can breath ok if
the nose is just lightly touching the lip. If you cannot see
the baby's nose, position so that the nose
comes back off the breast some. Pressing to make an air
hole, can cause sore
nipples. |
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Baby’s lips should be flanged out.
Baby should suck with the tongue is cupped under the breast.
The jaw will move up and down (the ear will “wiggle”). You
will hear swallowing after 2-3 sucks. It will sound like a
breath. When the larger volume of milk comes in, baby will
swallow after almost every suck. Let baby finish the
feeding. It may take 1 minute or 2
hours!
|
Baby will take some rests in between
sucking. If the pause become very long, you can try what we call the
“Arm Trick”. Just take baby's arm and gently straighten and bend it.
That will usually cause them to start sucking again. When the arm is
like a wet noodle, baby is finished on that side. She may fall off
on her own. Don’t just pull baby off, always “break the suction”
first by sliding your finger in his mouth and releasing the
suction.
Try and burp baby at this point. He may not
burp. The first milk is so think, they do not gulp a lot of air, but
always try a little. This may wake her for the other breast. Offer
the other side. Let her suck until she comes off or the arm is loose
again. You can go back and forth between breasts as long
as baby wants to
suck.
Our breasts are not like bottles that are
full or empty. They are more like faucets, you turn them on, and they
will keep going until you turn them off and then you
can turn them back
on.
The next feeding, offer the other breast
first and try and remember to start with a different breast each
time.
Photos from The Breastfeeding
Atlas, used for educational purposes.
Benefits
Preparing to
Nurse: breast changes during pregnancy, bras, nursing pads, and
more.
Making Milk:
the hormones of
Lactation
Hunger Cues and
Normal behavior the first few weeks
.
Possible
challenges
How to know baby
is getting enough
Breastfeeding
Diet
Links
For more information, fees or to set up
an appointment, please email
me. |
