The correct breastfeeding position
Unfavorable breastfeeding positions can cause breastfeeding problems and quickly turn the most intimate time between mother and child into torture. It is not uncommon for mothers to stop breastfeeding as a result. This does not have to be the case. The right breastfeeding position can also bring relaxation to the mother.
What breastfeeding positions are there?
The right breastfeeding position can be found for every situation and every need:
- Lying breastfeeding: side position, supine position, reclined breastfeeding
- Sitting breastfeeding positions: Cradle position, supine position (football position).
- Special breastfeeding positions: Cross-grip, hop-sit, four-legged stance
- Breastfeeding positions for cesarean section: football position, supine position
- Breastfeeding positions for premature babies: Supine position, Hoppe-Reiter position
Mothers of twins are in the special position of sometimes having to feed both babies at the same time. You can read more about which breastfeeding positions are best for this and what else you need to know in the article Breastfeeding twins.
Sitting breastfeeding positions
Cradle position
In the classic cradle hold, the child rests in the mother’s arm, pressed close to the abdomen. The hand holds the child’s buttocks and thighs, while the little head rests in the crook of the elbow. The free hand supports the chest. At home, you can use a sofa or nursing pillow to protect yours. The smaller the baby, the more you need to underlay.
Cross grip
Hoppe-Reiter-Sitz
In the hop-ride position, the baby sits upright in front of the mother’s breast. You hold the baby’s head and back with one hand and the breast with the other. This position is especially comfortable for children who swallow quickly and for older children. This breastfeeding position can also work for premature babies.
Football grip or back grip
This is one of the best breastfeeding positions for feeding two babies at the same time. Even after a cesarean section, the back-feeding position is considered comfortable because the baby does not put any strain on the scar. If the milk accumulates below the nipple, this breastfeeding position helps because the baby’s lower jaw massages this region.
Breastfeeding lying down
Breastfeeding in lateral position
Breastfeeding positions in the supine position
If you want to breastfeed lying on your back in bed, you should raise your upper body slightly. This position also works when leaning back on the sofa. In these semi-recumbent breastfeeding positions (“laid-back-nursing”), the baby is in the prone position, slightly diagonally above the mother’s stomach, with the head on the breast.
Breastfeeding positions in the supine position are also useful in the case of a strong milk-giving reflex, when the baby often swallows. Because the mother does not have to move much to change sides of the breast, this breastfeeding position is relatively painless after a cesarean section.
Good breastfeeding positions for weak babies
Weak babies in particular need breast milk. For them, the bouncing position and the prone position are good breastfeeding positions to enjoy breast milk without much effort.
Breastfeeding positions for milk engorgement
With the right attachment technique, you can eliminate milk engorgement and prevent mastitis:
Sometimes, however, it is difficult to reach the affected area with the usual breastfeeding positions. One breastfeeding position that seems a bit unusual, but is one of the most practical for this case, is breastfeeding in the quadruped position. You can position your baby under you so that his or her chin reaches the exact area of the breast that hurts.
Correct latching on
Make sure that your baby does not just suck on the nipple, but surrounds the entire areola with his mouth. This is the only way for a sufficient vacuum to form.
By forming a “C” with your hand (C-grip), you can support the breast and make latching on easier. The child holds the nipple with his upper and lower jaw and presses it against the palate with his tongue. The nose and chin touch the breast at the same time. It is not necessary to keep the child’s nose free.
