Positioning Baby at the Breast

Positioning your baby correctly at the breast – why is this so important? The right position for baby and mother will ensure that:

• the baby can suckle easily at the breast
• the breast is emptied and stimulated to produce milk
• the mother does not get sore nipples
• the mother and baby feel comfortable and happy

So, what is the right position?

First, the baby must lie on the side with the ear, shoulder and hip all facing up. Baby’s chest and stomach must be close against the mother. You should not be able to see the baby’s bottom arm. Baby’s face should be turned towards the mother. (Can you suck and swallow if your head is turned to the side?)

Second, you need a nursing pillow or a number of pillows to place under the baby, so his mouth is at the height of your nipple and under your elbow. The weight of the baby will cause your arm to drop. When your arm drops, the baby will too and he will no longer be at the height of your nipple. The pillows help prevent this.

The next step is to see that Baby opens his mouth wide and can take in a lot of breast tissue, not just the nipple. The milk ducts are well behind the nipple, and they need to be “milked” by baby’s gums, otherwise the milk flow will be too weak. If it feels uncomfortable or the baby is not sucking well, slide your little finger into his mouth so it opens and try again.

In the first days after birth, your breasts produce colostrum. Normally babies need nothing more. However, it is very helpful to put your baby to the breast as often as possible (at least every two hours) because this will stimulate your milk production and as well be very comforting for your newborn.

A new born baby can be very hungry, very quickly and needs to be fed probably every two hours, as breast milk is almost immediately absorbed and digested.  A newborn baby’s stomach is about the size of a small cherry. It needs very little milk to feel full. As the baby gets older and can drink more, the feeds will be farther apart. Formula contains many different substances   and takes much much longer to digest, which is the reason why formula fed babies often sleep longer than breastfed babies.

Unfortunately correct or optimal positioning is not always explained or encouraged, so I hope these ideas will help you in those first difficult and challenging days.  We find that expectant mums who come to our meetings before the birth can practice this positioning with a doll and are better prepared for breastfeeding. It is worth the time and patience to follow these simple tips. This way, you can both enjoy breastfeeding, Baby will be satisfied and Mum and Dad will be happy too.

By Joanna Koch

Joanna Koch has been a La Leche League Leader for many years and welcomes mothers to the monthly LLL meetings in her home.  Visit lalecheleague.ch for more information about English speaking LLL groups in Switzerland.

Illustration by Albina Nogueira. Albina Nogueira has been a primary school teacher since 1992, and a writer and illustrator since 2006. She currently lives in Switzerland, but her homeland is Portugal. She is also the author ofLetters to Grandparents and Hairdresser. To find out more: like her on Facebook  or see her books in Amazon.