Feeding cues
Your baby has to wake up and let you know that they want to eat. This is called showing feeding cues. A baby should show they are hungry 8 to 12 times in a 24-hour period. Watch your baby and begin breastfeeding when you see your baby:
Crying is a late feeding cue. Many babies have problems latching on once they become frustrated and begin to cry. Try to feed your baby before they cry. If your baby does cry and can't latch on, calm your baby before trying again. Put your baby skin-to-skin away from the breast or let them suck on your finger. Or have someone else hold the baby for a while so your baby can calm down. Then offer to nurse again.
Deep latch-on
To help your baby get a deep latch, support your breast from below with your hand. Here are 2 holds to try:
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C-hold. Place your thumb on top of your breast and your fingers under your breast, at least 1-1/2 to 2 inches behind the nipple. A C-hold gives good support for the cradle or cross-cradle feeding positions.
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U-hold. This is a variation of the C-hold. It's often used when a baby is placed in the football (clutch) position for feeding. For a U-hold, slide your hand so your thumb is on 1 side of the breast and your fingers on the other.
You may not have to keep using a C-hold or U-hold if your breasts are smaller. But mothers with larger breasts often use these holds for the entire feeding.
Once you are both comfortable and your breast is supported, you are ready to help your baby latch. To help your baby latch-on correctly, use your nipple to stroke the baby from the nose to the lower lip in a downward motion. Wait for your baby to open wide. Then bring the baby and your breast together in one quick motion. The baby should have a big mouthful of your breast. Their chin should be buried into your breast, and their nose should be close to or slightly touching your breast. Your baby's lips should be flanged outward like a trumpet or fish lips. The lips should not be pursed or rolled in. If you were to roll down your baby's lower lip, you should see the baby's tongue gliding in front of the lower gum. The tongue should also cup your nipple and areola.
Don't press down near the areola with your thumb. You may think this will help your baby breathe. But this will pull your nipple from the back of your baby's mouth, where it needs to be. Babies' noses are designed to press against their mother's breast as they feed. That is why their noses are flat. This lets them latch on deeply to the breast but still be able to breathe. If you are concerned about your baby's ability to breathe, pull your baby's lower body in closer to you. Or lift your breast rather than pressing down on your breast.
It's called breastfeeding, not nipple-feeding, for a reason. Sometimes a baby's latch is shallow. This means it is not deep onto the areola. The baby may seem to be hanging on the nipple tip. When this happens, your baby won't be able to remove milk from your breast very well. This would decrease the amount of milk your baby drinks. So feedings may take more than 45 minutes. And your baby may not gain weight as they should. Also, your nipples are more likely to get very sore or cracked. Try the different positions outlined above if you're worried your baby doesn't have a deep latch, or if you have sore or cracked nipples. If this doesn't work, contact your baby's healthcare provider or a certified lactation consultant for help.