The 10 most used positions by mothers for breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is one of the most natural gestures in the world and serves to give comfort to the newborn in several ways: breastfeeding is not only nourishment, but it is also emotional consolation and physical contact with the mother. According to the main studies on the subject, breastfeeding breastfeeding is preferable to artificial feeding, especially in the first 6 months of life. Find out below which great evolutionary stages your baby will reach starting from the sixth month!
Breastfeeding: some precautions
There are no wrong positions when it comes to breastfeeding your baby. Breastfeeding is a path that changes over time but it is always important that you are comfortable doing it and that the baby latches on correctly. You can experiment with all the positions you want, until you find the ones that work best for the two of you.
Sometimes it is useful to know different techniques for feeding your baby, especially when you are away from home and you have to adapt to the situation.
In any position you prefer, keep in mind these little tricks to breastfeed peacefully:
- keep everything you might need to be relaxed at hand: water, snacks, cell phone, remote control, pillows, magazines ... just after delivery, and in the very first few weeks of life, the baby has to learn to latch on correctly and this will be challenging a good part of your time;
- put yourself in a position that makes your little one feel comfortable too: pull him to you and put yourself belly to belly, support his head and make his back straight;
- check that the baby is properly attached to the nipple, this will also make it easier for both of you.
If the baby is having trouble latching on, seek advice from a qualified midwife or breastfeeding specialist. Especially in the first few weeks it is essential to understand how to help your baby to breastfeed correctly, also in order not to breastfeed painfully. In general, know that to have an optimal attachment the baby must have upper and lower lips outwards; his ear, shoulder and hip must form a straight line and the mother's shoulders must be relaxed.
1) Classic cradle position
One of the most traditional and widespread positions, and it is also the one that most reflects the image of breastfeeding itself.
In this position the new mother is sitting upright with the baby on the side, whose head and neck rest along the forearm and the body is against that of the mother (belly-belly). The mother's hand supports her bottom and looks at him. in the eyes.
In reality this position is not the most comfortable and often you need to support the weight of the baby with a pillow, to prevent your back and shoulders from straining too much.
If you are using a nursing pillow make sure it does not lift the baby too high; your breasts must remain supported, in the most natural way. Only in this way can you prevent the onset of sore nipples.
2) Modified cradle position
Also in this position the baby is against the mother's body. Compared to the previous technique, if she rests on her right side, the woman must hold him with her left arm, so that her forearm supports it and the baby's head rests on the comfortable hand of the mother.
3) Semi-reclined position
Breastfeeding is one of the first positions tested by mothers and is one of the most intuitive for the newborn.
Think about when, immediately after birth, it is placed on your chest: instinctively the baby should head towards the mother's breast, already trying to latch on. It is the moment of the "breast crawl", where the contact with the maternal skin stimulates to the maximum the natural instinct of the baby to feed.
Finding the mother in a semi-sitting position, the baby is also facilitated by the force of gravity that supports him and keeps him still in the act of feeding.
Adopted by mothers just after giving birth, this position can be applied to babies of all ages who are breastfeeding.
Also recommended for: those newborns who do not like to feel their heads touched during breastfeeding and mothers with abundant milk flow or with very large breasts.
4) Position in rugby
In the rugby (or underarm) position, the mother is seated and the baby's back rests along his forearm, supporting his head with her hand. The baby's body is placed next to him and the feet are turned towards the nursing chair or chair. Since the baby's entire weight is supported in this position with one hand, the use of a pillow is recommended.
It is considered very useful by mothers; in fact, in this approach to feeding it is possible to see if the sucking is proceeding correctly and you have the baby completely under control.
Recommended for: breastfeeding twins, premature babies, mothers who have had a caesarean section.
We also recommend it when you need to breastfeed with cooled babies, because it frees the puppy's nose from contact with your skin.
5) Side lying position
A position where the feeding takes place sideways, and where the mother and baby rest on one side, in close contact. It is definitely a relaxed position, which lends itself well to all those occasions when you are tired or want to rest for a while.
To optimize it, put a pillow under the baby's head to make it fit at the right height. Once you are skin-to-skin, make sure the baby's nose touches your nipple; he'll then "look for you" .
Recommended for: night feedings (where the desire to sleep mostly prevails), relaxing moments and expert mothers. If that's your thing, you can easily adopt it even during the day!
6) Reclined position (post caesarean)
After a caesarean section, the scar may be bothering you, even while breastfeeding.
Traditional positions can be uncomfortable, but this one should be for you.
You will have to lie down with the baby's body resting on your shoulder; this will allow you to breastfeed comfortably without straining the wound. Alternatively, lay the baby down by your side.
7) Position of the she-wolf
Through this breastfeeding position, the baby is left lying on his back (usually on the bed), while the mother gets on all fours over him and gently inserts her nipple into his mouth.
It is a position that obviously can only be adopted in certain contexts, not very discreet for when you are out and about. Within the walls of the house it would seem to be one of the most used among new mothers who suffer from breast mastitis. Thanks to the help of gravity, the breast empties more naturally and does not need to be touched.
The technique can also be replicated while sitting by kneeling and bending over the baby. Also in this case, we recommend that you use breastfeeding supports, such as pillows, so as not to overload your back and shoulders.
8) Vertical or koala position
In the koala position the baby is practically sitting on your leg or on your side, with the legs spread apart. Its back and head remain straight while stern.
More suitable for older children, in reality the technique that allows you to breastfeed vertically can also be used with newborns, giving them a lot of support.
Recommended for: all those children who suffer from reflux or ear infection (and therefore prefer to stand erect), but also for those suffering from ankyloglossia or reduced muscle tone.
9) Dancer hand position
Breastfeeding becomes difficult if it does not start well or if the baby does not latch onto the mother's breast properly.There may be many reasons behind it, but this position can make your life easier.
The mother supports both the baby's head and her breast with one hand, placing it under it. The fingers are on one side and the thumb on the other. By doing so and moving the hand forward, a U will form in front of the nipple.
The baby will breastfeed by placing the jaw on the thumb and index finger, placing the chin at the end of the U.
Thanks to this position, you support him by the cheeks, giving him great support and carefully observing his sucking.
10) Breastfeeding in the band
After an initial practice, sling breastfeeding can be very convenient especially on the go or when you have other babies to look after.
You can breastfeed both lying down and standing up; it is extremely versatile as a position even if the little one needs a lot of contact. The only precaution to be adopted is to always visualize the baby's face and make sure that his chin is not against his chest.
It works best when the baby can hold his head up on his own.
