Breastfeeding Positions

It is easier to learn how to position your baby correctly right from the start, as it will ensure that your baby learns how to nurse properly, and it will lessen your chances of developing sore or cracked nipples.  Before even beginning, I suggest that you purchase yourself a breastfeeding pillow.  Click here to read more on the type of breastfeeding pillow I suggest.

There are also some very good books that will help show you how to achieve a proper position when nursing your baby.  Click here for my top picks in books.

You will want to review these positions before you have your baby, if possible.  I even practiced the positions using a doll to get an idea of how to hold the baby’s head and position the baby’s body.

When beginning to breastfeed, setting yourself and your environment up is very important.   You will want to be sitting up in bed or in a chair.  Do not attempt to feed your baby while you are lying down, if at all possible until breastfeeding is well-established as you cannot see very well what you are doing when in this breastfeeding position.  However, if you have a cesarean section, you may find that lying down is the most comfortable position for you.   When nursing in a sitting-up position, you will then want to set up your breastfeeding pillow.  You may find it helpful to put your feet on a footstool as it helps to raise your knees higher than your hips, thus making  it easier to support the weight of the baby’s body when resting on the pillow.  Now that you have yourself all set up, it is time to bring the baby to the breast.  There are three main positions that are most commonly used by mothers – the cradle position, the football hold, and lying down.

In the next posts, I will discuss each of these breastfeeding positions in more detail.  The key is to get yourself set up properly so that you can avoid unnecessary problems with latching and sore nipples later.