The Right Breastfeeding Position for a Well Fed Baby

So, you are a nursing mother and your baby is giving you trouble. You can't get your baby to nurse because you cannot find a satisfactory breastfeeding position while feeding her. You may be worried she is not getting enough nourishment because you don't seem to get the position in which to hold her, right. In fact you may not even know that the reason behind her cries and under norishment is because you don't hold her properly. You've only just begun to nurse, you didn't know about the hold. The way you hold decides whether your baby has latched on correctly and is draining the milk ducts of milk. Follow the cues in this article for correct feeding positions that will make your breastfeeding experience meaningful. And get you to adopt the hold that will provide you the maximum comfort and your baby the maximum feed. Cradling your baby while she is suckling at your breast was never this satisfying.

There are four main breastfeeding positions to hold your baby in..

Cradle hold

The most common position, cradle hold involves sitting with your baby in your lap and placing the baby's head in the crook of your arm (the bend of your elbow). The baby's chest should be against your chest so that she doesn't have to turn her head to reach your nipple. You can sit in this position by making sure that the arm of the chair is at the right height to support your arm, using pillows to support your back, your arm, and the baby's head, and using a footstool to keep your feet raised.

Cross-cradle hold

Similar to the cradle hold is the cross-cradle hold. Here, your baby is laying in the opposite direction, with his head in your hand, rather than in the crook of your arm. This position works when you are first learning to breast-feed because it gives you good control of the baby's head while you are helping your baby get the nipple in her mouth.

Football hold

The football hold means that you have to position your baby with her legs under your arm. Hold your baby like a football along your forearm, with the baby's body on your arm and with her face toward your breast. Use your other hand to support your breast. The position works if you face certain problems. For example, the football hold is good if you have engorged breasts or sore nipples; if you have had a cesarean section and cannot lay the baby on your stomach, and if you often have plugged milk ducts. The football hold can help the baby by helping her empty the ducts at the bottom of the breast. If you are nursing twins, this is a good position to do it in!

Sidelying or Reclining position

Then there is the lying down position which is good when you are night feeding. Lie on your side and place the baby on her side facing you, with her head at your breast. You may want to place a couple of pillows at your back for some extra support. Be sure that the baby can breathe through her nose.

A restful position for you, this position can often help both you and the baby to drift off to sleep after feeding. By changing your position slightly you can feed the baby from both breasts while lying on one side. It is important to make sure that you feed from both breasts because if you don't empty both breasts, you can get a plugged milk duct.

A Few More Tips

After the baby has been fed, be sure to place her on her back for sleep. Soft sleep surfaces, loose bedding, and situations in which your baby can fall, become entrapped, or get too close to a heating appliance, should be avoided.

All of these positions are meant to get your baby to latch on correctly to your breasts. If she does not latch on correctly, you may get sore nipples and the baby may not get sufficient milk. To elaborate, as a general rule, anything that works is alright for your baby as long as she has both the nipple and areola in her mouth and she can breathe. As a further tip on breastfeeding, change thenursing position sometimes to make sure the milk ducts are drained of milk, and always find a relaxed and comfortable position. Your breastfeeding position has to be correct to ensure a well fed and gurgling infant.