There are many positions to try to increase comfort and ease nursing sessions for you and your baby.
Different positions may be used in different situations or with babies of different ages. Each nursing dyad is different and flexibility is key! If one position isn’t working for you in this moment, you may wish to try another. Better positioning can increase comfort for the nursing parent or make it easier for baby to latch correctly. Older babies and toddlers tend to be more flexible when it comes to positioning.
Gravity or Laid Back Nursing
• Try leaning back or semi-reclining on a bed, chair, or sofa, the way you would slouch to watch television. Not flat, but not fully upright. If you’re on a sofa, you can either stretch out across it or sit with your bottom near the edge and your shoulders against the back. Use pillows as needed to feel completely comfortable and fully supported.
• Position your baby so that he is lying flat on his tummy with his head a little higher than his bottom and his feet touching your thigh (you may have to bend your knee to bring it close enough) and his cheek or mouth near one of your nipples.
• Think of the arm that’s closest to that breast as the “rail” that keeps your baby from rolling onto his side. You’ll probably find that this arm naturally holds his back or bottom.
• Feel free to use your other hand to help him latch by lifting or moving your nipple toward his mouth, but trust him to feel his way. He may even bob his head up and down like a woodpecker as he searches. If he’s been having trouble nursing, he may fuss and cry for a minute or two. Talk to him encouragingly as he figures out what to do. If he sucks on his hand, don’t pull it away – his hands help him relax and organize himself for nursing.
• When his chin or cheek has solid contact with your breast, he’ll probably open his mouth and draw your nipple in.
• Babies can crawl forward but they have trouble backing up. If he pushes himself past your nipple, try repositioning him.
• Babies do best if they have to tip their head back a little to nurse, rather than having to tuck their chin.
While lying back like this is often helpful for newborns, it isn’t something mothers of older babies usually need. When nursing is going well, you’ll eventually get to the point where your baby latches easily in just about any position. But finding a comfortable position is always important, and gravity can be your friend in achieving it – so often you will find yourself leaning back, resting your arms on your thighs, or using pillows to help you recline.
If lying back isn’t working for you, try a different position intially. You may find that once your baby latches, you can lean back into a more comfortable position for the rest of the feeding.
Cradling
Let’s start with your left breast. Cradle your baby in your left arm, your baby’s head resting on your left forearm (not your hand) with his feet angled down to your right. Hold him securely behind his back and shoulders, rather than his bottom. (No need to reach for a “breastfeeding pillow.” Pillows are flat, and babies feed better at an angle.)
• Hold your baby on his side with his whole body facing yours, underneath your breasts. His knees and feet will be pulled in close to your body, below your breasts and angled down. His hip may even rest on your thigh.
• Let his head tilt slightly back so he can feel your breast with his cheek or chin, his nose right near your nipple.
• Bring your baby toward your breast with the arm his head is resting on.
• Hold your breast if you need to. Be sure your fingers are well away from your baby’s chin. He needs to get a good mouthful of breast into his mouth, and he can do that more easily if you don’t try to center your nipple in his mouth. Instead, your nipple can just sneak in under his upper lip as he takes a mouthful of breast.
Cross Cradle aka Transition Hold aka Using Opposite Arm
• If you’re nursing with your left breast, use your right arm to hold your baby across your body, facing you, underneath your breasts. Your arm goes behind his back, with your fingers cradling his neck.
• Bring your baby’s head to the level of your nipple. Lean back slightly so your body helps take your baby’s weight. If you use pillows, put them along your side to support your arms (not your baby). Regular sofa or bed pillows give you more flexibility in arranging them – “breastfeeding pillows” may put the baby too high or too far away from you.
• If you’ll be nursing with your left breast, your left hand supports that breast with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other side. Many mothers keep their fingers on their breastbone to keep them well out of the baby’s way.
• The palm of your hand, positioned between his shoulder blades, will support him. Gently place your thumb and index finger behind each ear. Your baby’s neck rests in the web between them.
• Lift your baby so his nose is near your nipple, his legs angled down, maybe even with his leg or hip resting on your thigh. This will help him tilt his head back for a deeper latch. If you need to prompt him to open his mouth, touch your nipple to the space between his nose and upper lip. When he opens his mouth wide, bring him to your breast with gentle pressure from the palm of your hand between his shoulder blades.
• Remember that he needs to take a mouthful of breast, with your nipple just sneaking in under his upper lip.
• Once your baby is taking deep, strong sucks, slowly relax the hand holding your breast, use your forearm to pull your baby’s body in close and smoothly switch arms to cradle your baby so you can sit more comfortably while nursing.
Side-Holding aka Clutch aka Football Hold Position
• Tuck your baby’s body along your side, under your arm, so that his head is looking toward your breast.
• Support your breast with the other hand. If you’re nursing on your left breast, your right hand will be supporting the breast with the thumb above and the fingers below and well back from your nipple.
• Support your baby’s neck (not head) with your palm on your baby’s upper back, thumb behind one ear and index and other fingers behind the other ear.
• Rest your baby’s upper back along your forearm with his body on a pillow near your elbow and his hips against the back of the chair, sofa, or against the wall. His feet can touch whatever surface is behind you.
• Your baby’s body should be supported so that he is high enough and his body is positioned far enough back so that your nipple is just above his mouth. He shouldn’t have to bend his neck forward to latch – his head, neck, and hips should be in a straight line, with his legs bent.
Side Lying or Lying Down
• Practice during the day, when you’re awake! Then it will be easier when you’re sleepy.
• Let’s suppose you’re lying on your left side, facing your baby. Your baby faces you, too. Use pillows under your head, behind your back, even between your knees – whatever makes you comfortable. Lift your breast and set it back down on the bed to “get the kinks out.” Bring your baby’s feet close to your body, and line him up so your nipple is near his eye. (It sounds weird, but try it!)
• Snuggle your baby closer, using your right hand on your baby’s back. Avoid pressing on the back of his head. His head will tip back so that he can latch.
• You may need to use your right hand to help him at first, with your left hand supporting his back. Switch hands once he’s nursing, for a comfortable position.
• You can also begin nursing by sitting up, then skootch down.
