HOSPITAL TRUSTED S INCE 1942™

•Yourbaby’sheadshouldbetiltedbackalittlesoshecomesintothebreastchinfirst.Herchinshouldneverbetouchingherchest(thisplaceshertongueandjawinthewrongpositionforagoodlatch).

•Ifyourbabyneedsnecksupport,makeac-shapewithyourhandbyspreadingyourthumbandforefingerapart.Supportyourbaby’sneck/headinthewebofyourhand(betweenyourthumbandforefinger)sothatherheadistiltedbackalittleasyouguidehertowardsyourbreast.

•Thesepositionsaredescribedbelowonameda.com,butkeepinmindyoumayfindyouneedtochangethemalittletoworkforyouandyourbaby.

Laid-Back Position Side-Lying Position

Football Position Cross-Cradle Position

Cradle Position

HelpingYourBabyTaketheBreast

ByPamelaK.Murphy,PhD,MS,APRN-BC,CNM,IBCLC,Directorof Education,Research&ProfessionalDevelopment,Ameda,Inc.

QUESTION:HowdoIgetofftothe beststart?ANSWER:Didyouknowthatbabiesarebornwithfeedingreflexesthatcanhelpthemgettothebreastandlatchontheirown?Infact,whenmothersandbabiesarekeptskintoskininthefirsthourortwoafterbirth,mosthealthybabiesdemonstratetheseinstinctivebehaviorsbyslowlypushingtheirwayuptothebreast,openingtheirmouths,droppingtheirtonguesandlatchingontheirownorwithjustalittleguidance.•Rightafteryourbabyisborn,letherlieskintoskin

onyourchestuntilshebreastfeedsforthefirsttime.•Keepyourbabywithyou.Sharearoomwith

yournewborn.•Learntoidentifyyourbaby’searlyhungercuesasitis

besttostartbreastfeedingwithacalm,quietandalertbaby.Someearlyhungercuesinclude:- rooting(movingherheadsidetosidewithanopen mouthwhenhercheekistouched);- sticking her tongue out- sucking on her hands

•Ifyourbabyiscrying,don’tforcehertobreastfeed.First,sootheyourbabybyholding,swaying,walkingorrockingherthentryagain.

QUESTION:Whatpositionsshould Iusetobreastfeed?ANSWER:Itmaytakesometimetofigureoutthemostcomfortable,effectivebreastfeedingpositionsforyouandyourbaby.Whatmightworkforonemomandbabymaynotworkwellforanother.Dowhatfeelsgoodforbothofyouandwheneveryoucan,breastfeedskintoskin.•Somecommonlyusedpositionsincludelaid-back,

side-lying,football,cross-cradleandcradle.•Thekeyistobringyourbabyinclosetoyourbody

andturnyourbaby’schin,chestandkneesinastraightlinesotheyarefacingyourbody.

•Placeyourbabyatthelevelofyourbreastbyusingpillowsforcomfortandsupport.

26401155-1213

QUESTION:HowdoIhelpmybaby tolatchondeeply?ANSWER:Inlaid-backpositions,gravityhelpsthenipplereachthecomfortzone.Inotherpositions,youmayneedtoworkhardertohelpyourbabylatchdeeply.Asyouguideyourbabytoadeeplatch:•Guideyourbaby’sbodygently

intoyouwithhernosepointedupandherheadtiltedbackalittle(avoidpushingonthebackofherhead).

•Handexpressadroportwoofcolostrumorbreastmilk.

•Brushyournipplebackandforthonyourbaby’supperlipuntilyourbabyopensreallywide,aswideasayawn.

•Bringyourbabytowardsyou,chinfirst.Youcangentlypressbetweenyourbaby’sshoulderswiththepalmofyourhandthatissupportingher.Guidingherthisway,thenipplepointsup,towardsthesofterpartoftheroofofyourbaby’smouth-thecomfortzone.

Breastfeedingtendstofeelbetterwhenyourbabylatchesonasymmetrically,sothatmoreoftheareolaunderthenippleisinhermouththanontopofthenipple.(Theareolaisthedarkcircularareathatsurroundsyournipple.)

QUESTION:HowdoIknowmybabyis latchedonwell?ANSWER:Hereareafewsignsthatyourbabyislatchedonwell:•Youfeelatuggingbutnopain,rubbingorpinching

whilebreastfeeding.- Somediscomfortthefirstminuteortwoof breastfeedingasyourbabylatchesoncanbenormal thefirstfewweeks.

•Yourbaby’slowerlipisrolledout.•Yourbabyhasmostofyour

areolainhermouth.•Yourbaby’schinistouchingyour

breastandthereisasmallspacebetweenhernoseandyourbreast.

QUESTION:Iamstillhavingtroublegetting mybabytolatchonwell.Isthere anythingelseIshouldbedoing?ANSWER:Ifyourbabyhastroubletakingthebreast,shapingthebreastmayhelp.Shapingthebreastwillhelpmakeitliketheshapeofasandwichandalittleeasierforyourbabytogetadeeplatch:•Placeyourthumbandfingersinthesamedirectionas

baby’slips.(Imagineyourthumborfingerasyourbaby’smustache.)

•Keepyourfingersback,outofthewayofwhereshewilllatchon.Placeyourlowerfingerdownunderyourbreastandyourupperfingeraboveyourareola.

•YourfingerswillmaketheshapeofaCorUdependingonyourbaby’sposition.

Ifthesetipsdon’thelpand/orbreastfeedingisuncomfortableorpainful,seekbreastfeedinghelpfromaboard-certifiedlactationconsultant(IBCLC).Thesooneryougethelp,thebetter.

Ameda Breastfeeding Products • Ameda, Inc., 485 Half Day Road, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 • 1.866.99.AMEDA (26332) Ameda and associated logos are trademarks of Ameda, Inc. • ©2013 Ameda, Inc.

This is general information and does not replace the advice of your healthcare provider. If you have a problem you cannot solve quickly, seek help right away.

Every baby is different, if in doubt, contact your physician or other healthcare provider.

ReferencesMohrbacherN.Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple: A Guide for Helping Mothers. Amarillo,TX:HalePublishing,LP;2010.SpanglerA.Breastfeeding: A Parent’s Guide.9thed.Cincinnati,OH:SpecialtyLithographingCo;2010.

ComfortZone

Some discomfort the first minute or two of breastfeeding as your baby latches on can be normal the first few weeks.

Areola

Nipple