What position is better for breastfeeding? Is there any position that is more advisable than another? The answer is no. There is no right or wrong position to hold and feed the baby. When breastfeeding, the comfort of the mother and the baby should always prevail.
The reason? Feeling relaxed and comfortable favors the flow of milk, while stress and discomfort can hinder the production of oxytocin, an essential hormone for the release of breast milk.
Recommendations before taking
There are different positions to breastfeed the baby and each mother must find the one that best suits her specific circumstance.
Before you detail them, you should consider some steps before feeding your baby:
- Make sure you have everything you need during your shot.
- If you find it more comfortable you can use pillows or cushions to support your back and arms.
- Place the baby comfortable and well supported, making sure that his head, neck and spine are straight.
- Make sure your baby clings well to the chest. Grip problems can cause you pain. To fix it, you can ask the midwife or a lactation consultant for help.
Posture 1: lying down or reclining
It is especially useful yes the mother does have big breasts or suffer a drop in strong milk.
Already immediately after giving birth, if the mother puts the baby on her chest or gut, he will instinctively look for the path to one of the breasts, crawl to him and try to grab.
Skin-to-skin contact helps stimulate the baby's feeding instincts and gravity allows you to hold on tight and stay in that position.
For added comfort, you can rest slightly, instead of lying down, and use pillows or cushions to support yourself so you can see the baby.
Posture 2: cradle
It is the most classic position
The mother sits upright and the baby is placed on its side with its head and neck resting on the mother's forearm and the body on the stomach.
Moms can put a pillow or cushion behind and use a breastfeeding pillow in their lap. This way you will have more support and avoid tension in the shoulders and back.
Posture 3: crib cross
Perfect for breastfeeding newborns or when there are difficulties with grip
It is similar to the previous position but the baby rests on the opposite forearm. In this way the mother has more control over her placement and can use the free hand to shape the breast.
With this position, the mother holds the baby at the level of her neck and shoulders, allowing her to tilt her head before the grip.
Posture 4: from Koala
For babies suffering from reflux or ear infections
The baby is sitting astride the mother's thigh or hip and both her spine and her head remain upright while breastfeeding.
It is also a beneficial posture for babies with hookworm or with a low muscle tone. This position can be used both with older babies who are able to sit without help or for newborns (as long as the mother holds her well).
Posture 5: Rugby Ball
It is one of the preferred options for mothers of premature babies, twins or who have had a cesarean delivery because they don't support the baby on the wound.
The woman is sitting and has the baby resting on the forearm. Her body is slightly curved on the mother's side, with her feet facing the back of the chair where she is sitting.
In this posture, the mother sees her baby's face, which feels safer when she is curled up to her mother's body.
Posture 6: double rugby ball
With twins and twins
The woman can breastfeed both babies at the same time while keeping her hands relatively free to be able to care for one or the other.
Other positions, such as the position of a crib, lying down or koala, can also be used to breastfeed two children at the same time.
Posture 7: lying on your side
Perfect for night shots
Mother and baby are lying next to each other, gut against gut. It is ideal for night shots, for mothers who have had a C-section or have stitches and can also facilitate breastfeeding for babies with short bridle or ankyloglossia.
Posture 8: lying on your back
It is complementary to the previous one, perfect after a caesarean section
The mother is lying and has the baby's body on her shoulder. Thus avoid bearing any weight or pressure on the wound.
Posture 9: on all fours
Very useful in case of mastitis
It is not comfortable for the mother, but it is very useful to be able to breastfeed with a mastitis, because it prevents the baby from touching or crushing the breasts.
The baby is lying on his back and the mother squats on him leaving the nipple suspended over his mouth. To avoid tension in the back and shoulders, the woman can use pillows and cushions to support herself.
Posture 10: in a baby carrier
To breastfeed away from home
This method works best if the baby is an experienced infant and can hold the head by itself. Mom must check at all times that her little chin is not pressed against her chest.
This alternative is also useful if the baby does not like to be knocked down or if he is fed frequently.
Posture 11: hand dancer
For babies with low muscle tone
In this posture the baby is well held and the mother can control her posture and have a perfect vision of the grip. That is why it is especially indicated for babies who have a low muscle tone, such as those who were born prematurely or with Down syndrome, or those who have difficulty staying clinging.
To adopt this position, the mother must begin by holding the breast with her hand underneath, with the thumb on one side and the rest of the fingers on the other. Next, you should slide your hand forward so that the thumb and forefinger adopt a U-shape just in the front of the chest. The other three fingers should continue to hold the chest below.
The mother places the baby's jaw on the thumb and forefinger while feeding, with the chin located at the bottom of the U, the thumb carefully holding one of the cheeks and the index finger holding the other.
Via and photos Medela
In Babies and More Asymmetry of the breasts: when you have one breast larger than the other during breastfeeding, Breastfeeding protects the baby against respiratory diseases, especially when the mother is asthmatic, The use of teat cups during breastfeeding: Are they recommended? When and how to use them?
