How to Breast Feed
It's widely accepted that breast milk is best for your baby. However, breast feeding may not necessarily come as naturally as some mums hope it will. This is normal and difficulties commonly occur in the early days when trying to establish breast feeding. Breast feeding is considered a learned skill that takes practice to develop. It's not something that you or your baby will necessarily instinctively know how to do but rather something you both learn to do.
Don't be disappointed if you find things difficult or uncomfortable at first. With the commitment to breast feed, an understanding of correct technique and some practice, you'll find that things get easier, which usually happens for most women within the first couple of weeks of initiating breast feeding. Be prepared, because if you've never breast fed before it may feel uncomfortable or unusual at first, even with a baby that is properly latched. It's a new experience and a lot of new mums will report it feeling like a "tugging" or "pressure" on your breast - a sensation that can have some mums feeling rather doubtful or be perceived as 'pain'. You quickly adjust to this new sensation and it no longer feels this way soon after you start. Pinching, stabbing, or sharp pains may be a sign of an improper latch in which case a baby must be unlatched to try again or else damage to the nipple can result.
The following tips can help with proper latching technique in the cradle position:
- Sit comfortably in a supportive chair. Your back needs to be straight and you may find putting your feet up on a small stool helpful. A breast feeding pillow or something similar to elevate and support baby in the early days may be helpful, although the best technique is to avoid pillows to ensure you hug/hold your baby close.
- Hold your baby close, facing towards your body, and try to keep their head, shoulders and body in a straight line. This is known as 'tummy to tummy' and your baby's body needs to be held very close to your own. Make sure there are no gaps between your body and baby's.
- Allow your baby's head to be tilted back a bit (avoid putting your hand on baby's head) and support your baby's neck and back with your forearm and hand. Your thumb and forefinger are in the shape of a 'c' along the nape of baby's neck, or near the base of baby's skull.
- You can use your other hand to shape your breast by placing your fingers into a "U" shape - holding your thumb on the outer part of your breast and the remaining fingers on the inner side, and compressing your breast to make latching on the areola easier. Make sure your fingers are away from your areola as baby will need enough space to latch.
- Line up your baby's nose with your nipple, and when your baby makes a wide open mouth move him gently but swiftly and with confidence so his mouth comes up onto your nipple and areola (not the other way round). This should be a definitive movement of baby onto the breast rather than trying to put your breast into baby's mouth. Lead with baby's chin and aim for baby's bottom lip to touch the breast well away from the base of the nipple and aim the nipple towards the roof of baby's mouth.
- If your baby is latched on correctly their bottom lip will be curled back and the only visible area of your areola (the dark skin around your nipple) is above your baby's top lip. Their top lip will also be on the areola. Usually the mouth is wide, and the lips are flared out.
- Look for signs of proper attachment. Usually more areola is visible above the top lip, the cheeks are rounded, and baby's chin is indenting the breast.
- Listen for the sound of them swallowing - a sign they're taking milk in. Rapid initial sucks turn to slow deep rhythmic sucking which can last for a few minutes. Babies will pause and then repeat this pattern several times during a feed. Babies usually relax and are content at the breast. Their arms and hands will relax.
- If your baby puts their hands in the way, try tucking them on either side of your breast or gently clasping one hand between the little and ring fingers of your hand used to shape your breast.
- Putting baby skin-to-skin whenever possible for feeds, especially in the early days can help them initiate breast feeding.
There are various positions to breast feed your baby. For any questions or reassurance on breast feeding please call our team of experts on 1800 438 500.
Signs of a good latch:
- You may be aware of pressure or tugging but it shouldn't be a pinching, stabbing or piercing type of pain. You should be able to see your baby's jaw move in rhythmic sucking motion, pausing from time to time in conjunction with your natural milk ejection rhythm and you may be able to see your baby's jaw moving in conjunction with swallowing.
- Baby has a nice wide open mouth, taking in your areola - you see more of the areola above your baby's upper lip than below which means the latch is off-centre as it should be.
- Both the baby's lips are rolled out.
- Baby's chin is tucked onto the base of your breast and baby is feeding with a wide open mouth not a narrow mouth. It's natural for your baby to pause from time to time because of the way that your milk ejection reflex brings milk to your nipple for baby to drink. Don't feel you need to continually coax baby in these pauses to feed. It is quite normal also for newborns to fall asleep during or at the end of a feed. Learning to feed baby on early rather than late hunger cues may help to minimize this occurrence. Waiting for the late feeding cue of crying may make latching more difficult and babies more prone to falling asleep.
If you're finding feeding uncomfortable it is important to establish the reason why. Painful feeding could be caused by your baby not latching on properly - changing positions and seeking support with your technique may help. Slip your clean finger between the nipple and their mouth to gently dislodge them and move them away from your breast and try to position them again. There may also be some medical or mechanical reasons behind uncomfortable breast feeding so do talk about it with your healthcare professional and seek a proper assessment. Lactation consultants are experts in breast feeding and offer support services. There are also many breast feeding support organizations that can offer assistance. Most breast feeding problems can be overcome with the right information and support.
If you're encountering any problems with breast feeding or you're worried your baby isn't feeding as well as they should be, speak to your midwife or healthcare professional. Most problems can be overcome and breast feeding is worth persevering with. You can also call our expert team of experienced feeding advisors or midwife on 1800 438 500, who'll do their best to help.
