A woman body is designed to breastfeed but sometimes you need some help. You and your baby need to practice to ensure a comfortable latch. It will help you if you understand the infant's sleep phase and feeding cues. Always remember to compare your baby's routine with those of yours. For example some days you will eat more often or smaller meals more often. Before you latch your baby do a few experiments and focus on how you hold her head and how your muscles are working.
First, take a bottle with water and take a sip with your bottle in front of you, then turn your head sideways and take a sip and lastly try to take a sip by holding the bottle at your lower lip.
Results: when you take a sip by holding a bottle to your mouth, you will slightly lift your head and swallow easy. If you turn your head sideways to take a sip some water will run out of your mouth and it is difficult to swallow nicely. It is not possible to drink if you hold the bottle to your lower lip.
Keep these results in mind when latching your baby.
Keep the following also in mind :
Keep baby's tummy to mommy
The Baby's nose is in line with the nipple
No hands to the back of baby's head above the ears, they will pull back if the hand is above ears.
The baby's ear, shoulder, and hip need to be in a line, no matter which position you use to feed the baby.
Bring the baby to the breast and not the breast to the baby.
The baby needs to open the mouth wide and latch on deep and not only onto the nipple. If the baby only latches onto the nipple it is like drinking a milkshake through a flat straw.
Signs of Correct Nursing
Your baby’s mouth is open wide with lips turned out.
His chin and nose are resting against the breast.
He has taken as much of the areola as possible into his mouth.
He is suckling rhythmically and deeply, in short bursts separated by pauses.
You can hear him swallowing regularly.
Your nipple is comfortable after the first few suckles.
Signs of Incorrect Nursing
Your baby’s head is not in line with his body.
He is sucking on the nipple only, instead of suckling on the areola with the nipple far back in his mouth.
He is sucking in a light, quick, fluttery manner rather than taking deep, regular sucks.
His cheeks are puckered inward or you hear clicking noises.
You don’t hear him swallow regularly after your milk production has increased.
You experience pain throughout the feed or have signs of nipple damage (such as cracking or bleeding).
The nipple changed in shape and colour
It is recommended to do a pre-labour breastfeeding consultation or breastfeeding ante-natal class
Get help if any pain is present.
Contact Elna's preggy and baby centre for a breastfeeding class or a consultation.
Reference:
Born to breastfeed, born to be breastfed; Hettie Grove
Breastfeeding and Human Lactation; Jan Riordan and Karen Warmbach
Breastfeeding made Simple; Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
The womanly art of breastfeeding; La Leche League international
Last Updated 11/2/2009Source New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding, 2nd Edition (Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics)