Well Done Mum

Getting Started with Breastfeeding

Positioning your baby for breastfeeding

• Make sure his tummy is in line with your tummy.
• Cup back of baby's head with one hand.
• Bring the baby to the breast - not breast to baby
• Baby's nose should be in line with your breast.
• Baby's head should be slightly tilted upwards.

How your baby is attached to your breast is the key to the success of breastfeeding. This is called latching on.

Latching On

When your baby is in a correct position, wait until his mouth is open wide. You can tease it open by gently pressing his upper lip with your nipple. Bring baby to your breast. Baby's mouth should cover all your nipple and about 1 inch of the brown circle around your nipple. Your nipple should touch the roof of baby's mouth with his tongue underneath. Once the baby has a good latch on there will be a period of quick sucking to get the milk flowing and then rhythmic sucking. When your baby is properly attached to your breast, you'll notice that his mouth is wide open with a big mouthful of breast and his bottom lip is rolled downwards. Any areola should be more visible above his top lip than below his bottom lip. When your baby's mouth is not open wide, he doesn't take in enough of the areola. This results in the nipple not being brought far enough back into baby's mouth and his tongue not far enough forward over his lower lip. If your baby is sucking only on your nipple, this will be uncomfortable and make very sore.

If your baby isn't latched on properly, take your baby off and start again. One way of doing this is to insert a clean finger into the side of your baby's mouth to break the suction. Once the suction is broken, gently move your breast away. Then try again.

Your breast feeding is going well when:

Your baby is alert and waking for feeds. After the first week has 4-5 wet and 3-4 soiled nappies per day. Your baby has gained weight, sleeps and settles during the day and your breasts or nipples are not sore.

When your baby is properly attached to your breast you will notice that his mouth is wide open with a big mouthful of breast, his bottom lip is rolled downwards, if you can see any of the areola - it is more visible above his top lip than below his bottom lip

Incorrect Latch On

When your baby's mouth isn't open wide enough he doesn't take in enough of the aerola and as a result the nipple is not far enough back in mouth and his tongue is not far enough forward over his lower lip. If your baby is sucking only on your nipple this will be uncomfortable and make you very sore. If your baby is not latched on properly take your baby off and start again. One way of doing this is to insert a clean finger into the side of your baby's mouth to break the suction, then gently move the breast away.