Become a Mother? Breastfeeding Position and Latch

 

This article was written to help you position and latch your child for successful breastfeeding.

About Breastfeeding Position an Latch Watch your infant for the following feeding signals before feeding:

The early cues

stirring mouth motions and twisting of the head in the direction of what is touching the face

-       Stirring, rapid eye Movements during sleep

-       Sucking sounds, soft cooing or sighing

-       Mouth opening

 

The mid cues

• stretching increasing  physical movement
• Hand to mouth or sucking/licking movements
• Rooting

 

The late cues

is a distressed, sobbing infant. Prior to attempting the latch, give your screaming or anxious infant some time to settle down.

• Fussiness, Irritability
• Exhaustion
• Sleep

-       Crying : once this happen try to calm the baby before the feed. This mean to ensure tongue is in the proper place

 

There are many different breastfeeding positions. The best position is the one that feels most comfortable for you and your baby. Breastfeeding may take time to learn. Every feeding attempt at the breast should be seen as a positive step in developing a breastfeeding relationship.

 

Environment and Preparation

breastfeeding from the tail is accepted It will be necessary to continue pumping while coordinating it with attempts to feed. it is recommended that pumping be done immediately after the feed, so that a full breast is offered to your baby.

Read related article : Breastfeed in Public

However, there are specific situations in which it is advised to only partially pump before the feeding. This can be the case if you produce a lot of milk or if your baby is only recently starting to breastfeed.

 

You can use breastfeeding signs and screens to maintain privacy while you nurse. A nursing cushion or folded blanket can be used to raise the baby to your breast level. Gowns can also be worn as sweaters for comfort. To allow for skin-to-skin contact, it is advised to feed the infant with just a diaper if their temperature is stable.

 

Additionally, it could keep the baby more awake and aware throughout the feeding.

Positioning

Taking the time to position the baby well will lead to a better latch and more effective feeding. You should be sitting comfortably, with your back supported and relaxed, for each of the following positions. Baby's shoulders and body are supported with your hand and arm baby's head is at your breast level. Baby's ear shoulder and hip are in alignment.

 

Baby needs to be tummy to tummy with you. Except when you use the football hold. Your chin should come to the breast first, with your nipple pointing toward the baby's nose. If this is not the case, move the baby not the breast.

 

This will enable the baby's nipple to be placed correctly in his or her mouth.. Which results in a more comfortable latch and effective compression of the milk ducts. To positions that work well for babies who are first learning to breastfeed are the cross cradle and the football hold

 

cross cradle

The most popular nursing position is a cross cradle because it gives the infant the greatest support and helps the baby latch. Observe how the infant is raised to the breast level by the nursing cushion while the parent is supported in a comfortable position. so that the infant is properly supported and the parent retains appropriate posture.

The infant is lying totally on its side, with its ear, shoulder, and hip in line with the bodies of the parents. Take note of the close skin touch.

The arm that is not being utilized as a breast supports the infant. The forearm serves as support for the bottom and back. Additionally, the hand is used to support the neck and shoulders. Holding the back of the baby's head will make it more challenging for the infant to latch.

 

It is sometimes referred to as the "sniffing posture" since the head is slightly cocked back and the infant is approaching the breast chin first. The parent's other hand is supporting the breast, which can be curved if necessary to aid with latching. If you're having trouble latching, try molding the breast to the baby's mouth.

The thumb and finger should be positioned sufficiently back from the areola, the darker region surrounding the nipple, to prevent them from getting in the way of the latch when you hold and squeeze the breast.

 

The breast is sufficiently constricted and narrowed to facilitate easy latching.This is often referred to as a sandwich of the breast.

 

football hold

football hold is another common position and may be more comfortable after cesarean section. More pillows or blankets may be required, there must be adequate room for the baby's legs behind the parents back. Moving forward and to one side of the chair may be necessary. The infant might be in one of two positions: on their back or on their side. In either case, the infant is snuggled up next to the parent.

 

Take note of how the parents' arm and hand effectively support the baby's neck and shoulders. Keep in mind that the baby's nipple is positioned opposite the nose to facilitate latching. The infant is approaching the breast chin first since the head is slightly turned back. If necessary, the mother can support or sandwich the breast with a free hand.

 

Babies that are latching on well and need less support and help to feed are typically held in the cradle position. After latching in the cross cradle position, the infant may be moved into the cradle position. The baby's neck is supported in the crook of the parent's elbow, and the forearm supports the back with the hand at the baby's bottom or hips. The baby's body is still entirely facing the parent skin-to-skin.

 

The breast can be held or sandwiched with the other hand. There are specialist positions and procedures available if further assistance with positioning and latching is needed.

 

Remember the right position is whatever is most comfortable for you and your baby and allows for a good latch and effective breastfeeding. Try different positions to see what is best.

 

Latching

Once the baby is in the appropriate posture, a successful latch is more probable. to persuade a baby to latch on You can express the milk drop and feed it to your baby. To stimulate rooting and a wide-open mouth, gently stroke your baby's top lip with your nipple.

 

To urge the baby to tilt his head up and open his mouth wider, remember to break the contact between his nipple and his top lip. Bring the infant to the breast chin first after watching for a wide-open mouth that appears to be yawning.

Never stretch your breast or put it in your baby's mouth. Make sure the tongue is positioned so that it touches the lower gum line.

 

It will be challenging to latch if your baby is crying because the tongue will be in contact with the roof of the mouth. In this instance, you must soothe the infant before latching. If it doesn't work, place the baby skin-to-skin on your chest with them and offer them a clean finger to suck on for a brief while.

 

Once the baby has latched, check for the following: a mouth that is wide open, with a mouth corner that is angled at a greater than 130 to 150 degree angle. Additionally, the mouth's corners do not overlap.

The infant's chin touches the breast first; the head is slightly cocked back, and the nose is not in contact with the breast.

 

Because the lips are flanged out, the latch is asymmetrical, which means that more of the areola may be seen above the baby's top lip than below the bottom lip.

Try sandwiching in the breasts if latching is challenging.

 

Notes :Breastfeeding should not be painful the tip of the nipple needs to be where the top of the mouth becomes soft. Run your tongue along the roof of  your mouth to where it becomes softer to feel how far back this is.

 

The baby's nipple is at the front of the mouth when the latch is not deep enough. between the tongue and the hard palate, compressing the nipple. This could hurt and harm the nipple, as well as reduce the amount of milk the infant receives. Watch how the milk flows differently when the areola rather than just the nipple is squeezed.

 

Put your finger in the baby's mouth corner to release the latch, then gradually lower the baby's jaw.

Switching Breasts

How can you determine when to switch breasts? To make sure that your baby consumes more of the calorie-rich milk that is present closer to the end of the feed, switch breasts when effective swallows are no longer seen.

 

If breastfeeding has not yet been established, keep in mind to pump right away after feedings to preserve the milk supply.