Breastfeeding Positions That Work | Changing positions helps with breast drainage. Changing positions throughout the day will assist in draining all quadrants of your breasts and preventing plugging or poor drainage. During the feeding, the area of your chest where your baby’s chin is pointing receives the most pull and waste. Spinning your baby into a different position at each food is recommended, especially during the first week or two, while you and your baby are getting used to it.
Your darling is learning to breastfeed, and you are building confidence in your technique.
Whatever position you choose for feeding, your baby must always be facing your body—the baby’s knees, tummy, and chest should all touch your body. Baby’s arms should be spread wide around your breast. Use multiple pillows to support your baby, arms, and back. Footstools are useful for relieving back strain and muscle tension. Some mothers prefer to use a breastfeeding pillow, which can be used with a single baby or multiples. Family members and friends can help adjust the pads for support during feedings. Take care to take advantage of all available assistance. Also, make sure to keep a large container of fresh water nearby. As a result, you usually have something to drink while breastfeeding.
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Here are some suggested positions. You and your child will eventually find your ideal positions. Learn the cross-cradle, cradle, and football positions first; these positions give you the most control over your breast as well as the baby’s head—the key to proper positioning.
The football hold
This is a comfortable position to use instantly once a cesarean section delivery as a result of the baby is positioned away from your incision.
- Sit up supported by pillows and footstool if required.
- Babe sits on a pillow at your side.
- Baby’s body is turned towards you, therefore his/her knees, tummy, and chest face your body.
- Baby’s arms are spread wide around your breast.
- When nursing the right breast, you may hold your chest with your left hand in a “C” hold, shaping your nipple and areola into a sandwich for baby to know.
- Your right hand is around your baby’s neck, supporting the base of his/her head, your arm supporting his/her back, keeping the baby’s body close to you.
- Reverse your hands for nursing the left breast.
The modified football hold
- Sit up supported by pillows and footstool, if needed.
- Baby lies on a pillow at your aspect.
- Baby’s body is turned towards you and wrapped around your body.
- Baby’s knees, tummy, and chest face your body.
- Baby’s arms are spread wide around your breast.
- The hand support for your breast and your baby’s head are similar as in football; reverse for opposite breast.
The cross-cradle hold
This position is advantageous within the early days of breastfeeding because your breast, and also the baby’s head and body, are well supported.
It’s also shown to be successful for preterm babies who want further support and head control.
- Sit up supported by cushions and footstool, if desired.
- Babe lies across the front of your body supported on pillows.
- Baby’s knees, tummy, and chest are facing your body.
- Baby’s arms are spread wide around your breast.
- Baby’s eyes are looking up towards your face (and shoulder).
- When nursing the right breast, you can hold the breast in your right hand in a “U” hold, shaping your breast and areola into a sandwich for baby to grasp.
- Your left hand will be about baby’s neck, supporting the base of his/her head while your arm supports his/her back, keeping the baby’s body close to you.
- Reverse your hands for breastfeeding the left breast.
The cradle hold
This position is optional after you and the baby are latching without difficulties, and baby needs little guidance from you.
- Sit up support pillows and footstool, if needed.
- Baby lays crossway the front of your body supported on pillows baby’s knees, tummy and chest are facing your body.
- Baby’s arms are spread wide about your breast.
- Baby’s eyes are looking up towards your face (and shoulder).
- When nursing the right breast, you will hold the breast in your left hand in a “U” Hold, shaping the breast and areola into a sandwich for baby to grasp.
- Your right forearm supports Baby’s head with your hand supporting baby’s bottom. You will use your forearm to guide your baby onto your breast (placing baby’s head in the “crook” of your arm often puts baby’s mouth far to the side and at the wrong angle to latch onto your breast).
- Reverse your hands for nursing the left breast.
Traditional side-lying
Lie entirely on your side, knees bent, supported by pillows between your knees, behind your back, and under your head (body pillows are great support).
- Baby lies on his/her side with tummy, knees, and chest facing your body, lower arm tucked under your breast, top arm on top of your breast.
- Baby’s face is looking at your breast with his/her mouth near with your nipple.
- Baby’s body is horizontal level to your body with his/her feet point towards the bottom of the bed.
- If the baby’s mouth is under your nipple, place a closed towel or baby blanket below baby’s head to boost baby’s mouth to your tit.
- You should place a tightly rolled towel or blanket behind your baby to stay baby from going onto his/her back.
- When nursing the right breast, you will hold your breast with your left hand in a “C” hold, shaping your breast and areola into a sandwich for baby to grasp.
- Your right arm will form an outline around your baby’s body on the bed and will guide the baby onto your breast.
- Turn onto your left side and opposite the positions for breastfeeding the left breast.
Upside down side-lying
Follow the directions for traditional side lying, but your bottom arm is raised up and positioned above your head along with your pillow.
- Baby lies on his/her aspect with tummy, knees, and chest facing your body, his/her lower arm tucked below your breast, baby’s top arm on top of your breast.
- Baby’s face is viewing your breast with his/her mouth level with your tit.
- Babe’s body is horizontal to your body with his/her feet pointing towards the highest of your bed.
- If the baby’s mouth is below your tit, place a folded towel or baby blanket below your baby’s head.
- You could put a tightly rolled towel or baby blanket behind your baby to stay baby from going onto his/her back.
- When nursing the right breast, you’ll hold your breast with your left hand in “C” hold, shaping the breast and areola into a sandwich for your baby to know while your lower arm is up and under your pillow.
- This is a useful position to empty the top quadrants of your breast and should be very comfortable once a cesarean delivery if your tummy is sore and swollen.
- You may want to facilitate with putting your baby into this position and keeping baby shut throughout the feeding.
- Turn onto your left side and reverse the hands for nursing the left breast.
Prone position
This position will be helpful if you feel that your milk flow is just too quick or too forceful for your baby. Gravity slows down the stream.
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and used pillows too and support your head.
- Baby lies on your tummy trying down at your breast; arms spread wide around your breast.
- An alternative is to put your baby on his/her tummy, lying on pillows at your aspect with his/her face looking down at your breast and baby’s arms spread wide around your breast.