How To Hold And Breastfeed Your Baby

GENERAL INFORMATION:

How soon can I breastfeed my baby?

• How soon you can breastfeed your baby depends on several things, such as the type of labor and delivery you had. For example, having your baby delivered by cesarean (suh-sair-e-un) section may delay your first breastfeeding session. Being given medicine, such as epidural or general anesthesia can also effect how easy breastfeeding is during your first couple of days.
  
  
• Try to breastfeed your baby within the first 30 minutes to 1 hour after delivery. The first few feedings are a wonderful time to bond with your baby. Relax and enjoy each other. Your baby may take a few licks or begin to suckle and then pause and rest. Remember that both you and your new baby have to "learn" how to breastfeed. So, some feedings will go better than others.

How do I get ready to breastfeed my baby? Breastmilk flows the best when you are relaxed and comfortable. Go to a quiet place in your home to breastfeed if your house is noisy or busy. You may enjoy listening to quiet music and drinking a glass of water at this time.

• Use pillows on your lap, under your arms, and behind your back. Put your feet on a footstool to raise your knees slightly above your hips. This helps prevent back strain and keep your body at the correct angle. Put a rolled washcloth or small towel under your breast if your breasts are large. This supports your breast and positions both breast and nipple correctly for your baby to attach.
  
  
• During the first weeks of breastfeeding you may need to unwrap your baby from his blankets before the feeding. This will help him stay awake for the feeding.

What position is best for breastfeeding? It is important to hold your baby the correct way when breastfeeding. Many breastfeeding problems can be avoided if your baby is in the correct position. Try the following positions to learn which works best for you and your baby. You may want to use several different positions. Always bring your baby to you or to the level of your nipple. Avoid leaning over and dropping your breast into your baby's mouth. This may cause backaches, sore nipples, and may put too much weight on your baby's mouth.

• Cradle Hold (also called Madonna or cross-chest) Position: This is the most common position for breastfeeding.
  
  
  • Sit in a comfortable armchair or rocking chair. Cradle your baby's head and neck in the bend of your arm. Put a pillow under your arm to bring your baby up to the level of your nipple. The pillow also supports your arm and your baby's body. A second pillow is often put on your lap to keep his head, shoulders, and hips in a straight line.
    
    
  • Your baby should be lying on his side and resting on his shoulder and hip. The two of you should be tummy touching tummy. Use your hand to cup his bottom. Bring your baby up and toward you rather than leaning forward toward him. His mouth should be level with your nipple. To reach the nipple your baby should not have to move his head or strain his neck. Your baby's head and neck should be straight and not turned or bent.
    
    
  • Gently move your baby's arms and hands out of the way. With your baby on his side, tuck his lower arm between his body and your chest. You may need to hold his hand down with your free hand.
  
  
• Football Hold (also called clutch) position: This is a good position for breastfeeding if you have had a cesarean section delivery or have large breasts. It also works well if you have a small baby or have "multiples" which means more than 1 baby, like twins or triplets.
  
  
  • Sit in a comfortable armchair or rocking chair. Put a pillow under your arm on the breastfeeding side. This brings your baby up to the level of your nipple. The pillow also supports your arm that is holding your baby. Put your hand under his head. Put his back along your arm as he faces you. Tuck your baby's legs and feet under your arm. He will be in more of a sitting up position than a lying down position at the breast.
    
    
  • Adjust the pillow behind your hand that is holding his head so it is comfortable. This is important to maintain a correct position. In the football hold, you will be able to easily see your baby at the breast and control his head.
  
  
• Side-Lying Position: This may be the most comfortable position to breastfeed your baby soon after delivery, especially after a cesarean section. This is also a favorite during night feedings.
  
  
  • Lay on your side. Put a pillow under your head and behind your back. Lean back onto the pillow to avoid leaning forward towards your baby.
    
    
  • Put your baby on his side facing you. You may want to put a rolled blanket behind your baby's back to keep him in the correct position. His head should be straight in line with his body. He should not be on his back to breastfeed. This would make it hard for him to reach the breast. So your baby would have to pull at the breast which would cause sore nipples.

How do I get my baby to "latch on" to my breast? The purpose of supporting your breast well is to make the latch on easier. Supporting your breast also keeps the weight of your breast off of your baby's chin. Correctly latching on helps your baby get milk from your breast and also prevents sore nipples.

• Hold your breast in a C-hold.
  
  
  • Place your thumb on top of the areola (uh-ree-o-luh) (the dark area around the nipple). And, your 4 fingers underneath the breast. This hold supports your breast without distorting (changing the shape of) the nipple. It also gives your baby a big target to attach to the breast. Make sure your fingers are well behind the areola, especially underneath the breast. This allows your baby to take the breast far enough into his mouth.
    
    
  • Hold your breast for the feeding after your baby is latched-on to your breast. This keeps the weight of your breast off of his mouth. Do not press down on your breast with your thumb. This may change the position of your nipple in his mouth. As he gets older and stronger you will not need to support your breast.
  
  
• Your baby is born with many reflexes. Reflexes cause your baby to do things without thinking about or "knowing" what to do.
  
  
  • The "rooting" reflex causes your baby to turn his head toward your hand if you stroke his cheek or mouth. He then opens his mouth and is ready to latch-on. This is his first step in breastfeeding. He needs to root before he is able to attach to the breast.
    
    
  • To stimulate the rooting reflex lightly tickle his lips with the tip of your nipple until he opens his mouth. Pressing on his lips or "mashing" with your nipple does not cause him to root. Some babies may take awhile to awaken and root at the breast. Try to be patient.
  
  
• When your baby's mouth opens wide, put your nipple and as much of the areola as possible into his mouth.
  
  
  • He needs to grasp the entire nipple plus about 1-inch of surrounding areola and breast. This allows him to use his lips, gums, and cheek muscles to put pressure on the milk sinuses under the areola.
    
    
  • Pull your baby close to your breast so that just the tip of his nose touches the breast. Your baby breathe through the sides of his nose. Reposition him and pull his bottom closer to you if you feel his nose is blocked.

How do I get my baby to let go of my breast without it hurting? If you need to remove him from the breast while he is still latched-on, press down on your breast near his mouth. Pull down on his chin and insert your finger in the corner of his mouth. This will break his seal on the nipple. Then remove him from your breast.

How often should I breastfeed my baby? The best timer of a feeding is your baby. Let him decide how often and for how long to breastfeed. Avoid watching the clock. Use it only as a guide. Look for signs of readiness to feed such as chewing or sucking on fingers and hands. Crying is a later sign of being hungry so try to feed him before he is crying.

• Your new baby's stomach is small. Breastfed babies tend to feed more frequently than formula-fed babies. Breastmilk is easily and quickly digested. He should breastfeed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours for the first 6 to 8 weeks. He will gradually slow down to about 8 feedings in 24 hours.
  
  
• Every baby has its own style of breastfeeding. Allow your baby to breastfeed until he either falls asleep or lets go of the breast. Completely empty the 1st breast and then offer the 2nd breast. Some babies are quite efficient and may spend about 10 minutes at the breast. Other babies take their time and need 10 to 15 minutes at the breast. And, your baby's feeding times may vary from day to day.
  
  
• You may want to give your baby a pacifier at some time. Try to wait at least 2 weeks until your baby is successful at breastfeeding before you offer a pacifier. This also allows your milk supply to come in well.

Why does my baby want to breastfeed all the time? There may be reasons why your baby is breastfeeding more often. Babies grow at different rates from day to day. Your baby may be growing quickly one day and want to breastfeed every 1 to 2 hours. These times are called "growth spurts." This is common around 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age. Continue to feed your baby on demand so your body will increase your milk supply to meet your baby's needs.

• You may need to check your milk supply if your baby seems to be having a growth spurt that lasts more than 3 to 4 days. Call your caregiver if your baby is having less than 6 to 8 wet diapers and 2 to 4 yellow seedy stools each day in the first 6 to 8 weeks after he is born.
  
  
• Breastfeeding not only nourishes your baby (feeds his body) but it also nurtures him (makes him feel safe and loved). It is normal for your baby to breastfeed more often if you are going through life changes, stress, or illness.

Can my baby's caregiver help me if I have breastfeeding questions or problems? Ask for information about breastfeeding and make sure caregivers know that breastfeeding is important to you. Ask your caregiver for the name of a Lactation Consultant. This person is specially trained to help women breastfeed their babies. Also, ask caregivers about a breastfeeding class before your baby is born. Or, call your hospital for more information. Breastfeeding support groups can also help you learn about breastfeeding your baby. Call or write one of the following organizations for more information.

• La Leche League International
  1400 N. Meacham Rd
  Schaumburg, IL 60173-4808
  Phone: 1-847-519-7730
  Web Address: http://www.lalecheleague.org
  

• Human Milk Banking Association of North America
  1500 Sunday Dr., Suite 102
  Raleigh, NC 27607
  Phone: 1-919-861-4530
  Web Address: http://www.hmbana.org
  

• Women, Infants and Children Program
  Food and Nutrition Services
  WIC Program
  Supplemental Food Programs Division
  Alexandria, VA 22302
  Phone: 1-703-305-2196
  Web Address: http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic
  

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan how you are going to feed your baby. To help with this plan, you must learn as much as you can about breastfeeding. Ask your caregiver questions about breastfeeding. You can talk with him about the best way for you to feed your baby.

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