The cross-cradle position, in my opinion, is one of the best breastfeeding positions to start out with an infant in the early weeks. This is because you can see what you’re doing, and it allows you control over what you are doing. It is also a good position to use if you have had a cesarean section. I highly recommend you purchase yourself a breastfeeding pillow (My Brest Friend Deluxe Pillow Light Blue) as it makes it so much easier to support the baby’s weight and properly align the baby’s body and keep the baby’s head at the level of the nipple for proper latching. I continued to use my breastfeeding pillow throughout the first year of nursing. As in the top photo below, if you are going to breastfeed on the left breast, then your left hand supports your left breast underneath it in a C-position. Ensure your left hand is not too close to the areola (the darkened area around the nipple). You hold and support your baby’s head with your right hand. The fingers of your right hand are positioned with your thumb and index finger behind the baby’s ears and the baby’s head is supported in the thumb web space and the palm of your hand located between your index and thumb. Stroke the baby’s lip or cheek with your nipple to encourage the rooting reflex found in newborns. When your baby opens his/her mouth up wide (as though yawning), you bring the baby onto the breast. You want to ensure that the baby gets more than just the nipple in the mouth, so that at least part of the areola and perhaps even the breast tissue are in the baby’s mouth as well. The baby’s chin and nose will be touching the breast tissue, and the baby’s lips should be flanged out (see bottom photo below). For live visuals of breastfeeding a baby, see Breastfeeding Videos .
In the next couple of posts, I will go over more breastfeeding positions.
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