How to ensure your baby latches well

​All babies have primitive reflexes to crawl on mothers’ breasts to find the nipple and latch and feed. This process is natural and inherent competency of every baby and requires little help. However this process may seem like it needs expert help and support owing to unsupported brith and breastfeeding during early days after birth.
 
Start Right:
 
Providing safe & gentle birth is perhaps the biggest factor to get breastfeeding to a great start. This means non mediated birth and working towards no separation of of mother and baby. It is perhaps is best to allow mother and baby to find an intuitive bonding space which will allow the natural responses to emerge and begin and establish frequent feeding rhythm. This allows the baby to be guided by the smell, touch skin to skin contact and eye contact with mother to establish feed and sleep cycle.
 
Basic guidelines to help a mother feel encouraged:
• Position and latch is an interactive process and allowing the mother to find her comfort is very important.
• Each mother and baby has a unique relationship.

• Every baby needs to be supported for structural stability to be able to latch comfortably.
• Apart from regular breastfeeding position there are innumerable creative positioning that are therapeutic positions to help unique challenging breastfeeding situations.

 
Laid-back breastfeeding or Biological Nurturing:
The most natural position to help mother and baby elicit this rhythm behaviour is called a laid-back breastfeeding position or reclined breastfeeding position. This chest to chest skin to skin contact helps self-attachment  to the mother’s breast.
 
Guide to Laid Back Breastfeeding Position:
 

• The mother leans back in a semi-reclined 45 degree position so that she is completely comfortable and aligned.

• She is her back and her arms are well supported under two comfortable pillows.
• Baby is placed skin to skin on mothers chest.
• Baby’s torso body (Chest and abdomen) is in full contact with the mother chest and abdomen.

• Baby’ moves towards the mother’s breast with a baby’s head bobbing and using baby’s cheek contact on mother’s cheek the guide towards nipple.

 
Guide to Cradle Hold:
 

• Mother sits with her back straight.
• A nursing support pillow may be helpful during the early days to provide support to baby and mother’s  hand.
• Mother places baby on her lap such that baby’s abdomen is aligned with her abdomen.
• Mother supports the baby’s head, neck and shoulders in the cup of her palm and tucks baby lower bottom into her curve of her waist.
• Mother supports her breast with a C hold with her inner and and supports baby head under her other hand crook of her arm.

 
Guide to cross-cradle position:
 

• Mother sits with her back straight.
• A nursing support pillow may be helpful during the early days to provide support to baby and mother’s  hand.
• Mother places baby on her lap such that baby’s abdomen is aligned with her abdomen.
• Mother supports the baby’s head, neck and shoulders in the cup of her palm and tucks baby lower bottom into her curve of her waist.
• She then supports her breast with a C hold with her outer free hand and guides the baby lower chin to touch mother’s breast and encourage baby to open jaw widely to take a deep latch.

 
Guide to Football Hold:
 

• Mother sits with her back straight.
• A nursing support pillow may be helpful during the early days to provide support to baby and mother’s  hand. Place the pillow behind the mother on the bed.
• You cradle the baby's head in your palm with baby’s abdomen against yours, keeping him in line with the rest of his body
• Mother supports the baby’s head, neck and shoulders in the cup of her palm and tucks baby lower bottom into her curve of her waist.
• Mother supports her breast with a C hold with her outer free hand and supports baby head under her other hand crook of her arm.