The Journey to Establishing Breastfeeding. Part 2

Breastfeeding technique

As we continue our conversation about breastfeeding, let’s look at what matters when helping a baby latch onto the breast correctly.

Newborn feeding cues

• Opening the mouth, sticking out the tongue, turning the head, smacking the lips, or sucking on a fist.
• Crying is a late hunger cue, so it is important to notice the earlier signs.

Important. A crying newborn may struggle to latch because feeding requires calm and concentration. Settle your baby before offering the breast.

Important. An unusually sleepy baby who does not cry or ask to feed, or who sucks weakly and only briefly, is a reason to seek advice. These babies need to be offered feeds proactively rather than waiting for them to show hunger cues.

Signals from her own body that a mother should not ignore

• A feeling of fullness or pressure in the breasts.
• During the first month, the maximum interval between feeds is 2 to 2.5 hours, counted from the start of one feed to the start of the next. If your baby has not woken by then, wake them and offer the breast. In the first month, babies may not yet respond reliably to their own hunger cues.

Breastfeeding technique

For the mother

• There is no need for a restrictive diet.
• Eat a balanced and varied diet.
• Drink to thirst.
• Normal daily showering is enough for breast care. There is no need to wash the breasts before every feed.
• Get comfortable before feeding; your shoulders and back should be relaxed.
• Bring the baby to the breast rather than leaning the breast and your body toward the baby.

Key points for good positioning and attachment

1. Your baby’s ear, shoulder, and hip should form a straight line.
2. Your baby should face the breast without turning their head, with their nose level with the nipple.
3. Hold your baby close against your body so they do not have to stretch toward the breast.
4. Support your baby’s whole body, not just their head and shoulders.
5. Do not hold the back of your baby’s head: they may instinctively pull away from the breast. The cradle and cross-cradle holds can both work well.

Helping your baby open wide and latch

• Position your baby so their mouth is slightly below the nipple. This allows them to tip their head back, with their nose level with the nipple.
• Brush the nipple from the baby’s nose toward their lips. When their mouth opens wide, bring the baby quickly onto the breast.

Signs of an effective latch

• Your baby’s chin touches the breast.
• Their mouth is wide open.
• Their lower lip is flanged outward.
• More of the areola is visible above the baby’s top lip than below the bottom lip.
• Their cheeks look full and rounded against the breast.
• The breast keeps a rounded shape during the feed.
• You can hear clear swallowing without smacking or clicking sounds.

Pain during a feed or a misshapen nipple afterward may indicate a poor latch. The baby’s lingual frenulum should also be assessed.

Remember that a breastfed baby may sometimes go 4–5 days without a bowel movement, but they should continue to have wet diapers. Always keep an eye on urine output.