Whether you have just started your breastfeeding journey or you’re a seasoned professional, finding the right breastfeeding position is essential for both you and your baby. There are many different positions to choose from and all have different benefits that could help your baby! These positions can help your baby’s latch, your milk flow, and improve overall comfort. Today, we will look at 6 breastfeeding positions, what they are best for, and how they can benefit you and your baby.
The Positions
1. Cradle Hold
If you have an older baby with good head control, the cradle position could work for you! Simply put, the baby should lie across your lap with their head resting in the crook of your arm. This position may not work well for newborns as they do not have good control of their head and neck yet. But for the older babies, this can be a relaxed and neutral position and allows for you and your baby to see each other as they are feeding.
2. Cross-Cradle Hold
If you have a newborn, this position could work well for you! It is a simple hold, and works best for those babies who are still learning to latch. It helps to provide more control over latching and positioning. To perform this hold, the baby lies across your lap and you use your hand opposite the breast the baby is facing to support the head, while the other hadn’t supports the breast, compressing parallel to baby’s lips while bringing baby up and over the nipple.
3. Football Hold (Clutch Hold)
If you are recovering from a C-section or have larger breasts, this position could work for you! It helps to reduce the pressure that would be on your abdomen and gives good control over the baby’s head. For this hold, you should tuck the baby under your arm like a football, with the head facing your breast and legs pointing behind you. Your hand should be supporting the baby’s upper back/neck and you can place pillows around the baby and under your arm/behind your back for additional support.
4. Side-Lying Position
When you’re feeding your baby at night or recovering from childbirth, the side-lying position could be helpful for you! This position allows for some rest while feeding and also reduces the strain on your arms and back. For this position, both the mother and baby should lie on their sides facing each other. The baby should latch onto the breast closest to them, the bottom breast. Pro Tip! If you tuck a swaddle blanket around you and your baby, it keeps baby in close to you, deepening the latch and improving comfort!
These are some of the main positions to nurse your child in. It will take some time to find which one works best for you and your baby. Or, you may use each of these holds at different times, depending on the needs and situation you’re in. Now, we are going to look at a few more positions.
Alternative & Specialized Positions
5. Laid-Back (Biological Nurturing)
The laid-back nursing position is best for newborns as it encourages instinctive feeding. This hold promotes a relaxed feeding time and is a natural position. For this hold, you simply need to slightly recline with your arm supporting the baby, either in a recliner chair or on a bed with pillows behind you, and let your baby find a natural latch.
6. Koala Hold (Upright Breastfeeding)
The Koala hold can be beneficial for babies who have reflux or have a tongue tie. It can also help those who struggle or don’t like the more conventional positions. For this position, your baby sits upright, straddling your lap or over a leg and latches on sitting up.
Tips on finding the right hold
As you continue your breastfeeding journey, it may take time and patience to find a hold that works for you and your baby. Don’t feel that you must commit to one hold and make that work. It is ok to try new positions when it seems that one isn’t working. If one doesn’t feel comfortable for you and your baby, change the position. If it seems that your baby is having trouble latching, the hold may need to be adjusted, or you may need to change the hold.
If you’re having trouble finding a hold, or your baby seems to struggle latching on, make an appointment with a lactation consultant.
Book an appointment here!
Finding a hold that is comfortable and efficient for you and your baby is essential for your breastfeeding journey. It may take some adjusting and trial and error, but it is worth it!
In the next post, we will look at cluster feeding- what it is and what to do!