Home » Pregnancy and childbirth » Seated breastfeeding. How to properly position a newborn for feeding. The right start is the key to good baby growth

Seated breastfeeding. How to properly position a newborn for feeding. The right start is the key to good baby growth

Breast milk is not only better food for the child, but also a manifestation of love and care. Breastfeeding (BF) is a process that should be enjoyable and convenient for both mother and baby. The appearance of any unpleasant sensations during feeding requires consultation with a specialist - a leading pediatrician or breastfeeding consultant.

What are the signs of proper attachment?

An experienced specialist, having watched the process of putting a baby to the breast, can immediately tell about mistakes. When applied correctly, the baby’s lips should capture not only the nipple, but also the entire areola completely; only in this case can injury be avoided—nipple cracks. For proper latching, the baby's mouth should be open as wide as possible, and its nose should be pressed tightly to the chest. The main criterion for correct application: the absence of unpleasant sensations.

Incorrect application will be indicated by:

Unpleasant and painful sensations in the chest, in the back (posture chosen incorrectly);
Poor sucking by the baby, he has to reach;
The appearance of sounds of smacking, slurping or sucking - their appearance indicates the swallowing of air, which is fraught with the development of regurgitation, colic, etc.

What could be the consequences?

Regardless of the frequency of attachment, if the baby is not attached correctly, then breast-feeding will be ineffective, and sometimes unpleasant and even painful for the mother.

Therefore, improper attachment is serious and all measures must be taken as quickly as possible.

How to properly attach a baby when feeding, regardless of position?

Consultants for breastfeeding give several recommendations for application, which do not depend on the chosen position; one might say, they are universal:

Breastfeeding is a long process, so it is necessary to choose a position in which the nursing mother and baby can remain for a long time without experiencing discomfort. For each woman this will be an individual pose;
The baby's head, neck and body should be in the same plane. It is best if the bellies of the mother and baby are in contact (but in some positions, this is not feasible), and the head is located in the crook of the arm. The baby's nose (!) should be located in the same plane as the nipple;
As soon as the reflex is triggered, the baby opens his mouth wide, you can gently apply it, holding it in the neck area. For convenience, the nursing mother can support the breast from below, as far away from the nipple as possible.

How to learn how to properly attach your baby when feeding while lying down?

The “lying down” position is one of the most comfortable, especially at night, because the mother may not even wake up if she practices co-sleeping. In this position, the baby’s body must be placed on the mother’s arm or a pillow must be placed under it so that the baby is at the level of the nipple. Mom should take a comfortable position - on her side, with a comfortable pillow under her head. Free hand, mother helps the feeding process.

How can you not attach your baby while breastfeeding while lying down?

The birth of a little person is the greatest miracle. Breast milk is the ideal nutrition a mother can provide to her baby. It contains a huge amount of nutrients that promote the proper growth and development of the baby and strengthens his immunity. Breastfeeding is a great joy for both mother and her baby. The Internet is full of information about breastfeeding, but many modern mothers still face problems. So how to properly put a baby to the breast in order to avoid problems for the mother with her women’s health, and for the baby to get greater benefits from feeding?

The main thing in the article

How to prepare your breasts for feeding your baby?

Even women who do not have breast problems should prepare their bodies for the upcoming feeding of the baby:

Don't dry out your nipples with soap , a simple wipe with running water will be enough.
Find the right bra during pregnancy . But you need to monitor the quality of the linen; the body must “breathe” in it.
You can brew oak bark or use strong black tea. Several times a day, soak a cotton pad in the broth and apply it to the areola, this will prevent the appearance of cracks on the skin.
You need to gradually harden your chest, start with air baths , then you can continue wiping with water.
Prepare ice cubes made from natural herbal infusions , just don’t overdo it, hypothermia should not occur.
And most importantly - consultation with a gynecologist who is monitoring your pregnancy.

How to put a newborn to the breast for the first time?

Recommended by pediatricians for the first time put the baby to the breast half an hour after feeding.

What to pay attention to when breastfeeding?

The main goal of breastfeeding is baby weight gain for its proper growth and development.
If, even with absolutely correct breastfeeding, the baby grabs one nipple, this sign may indicate that the baby has short frenulum under the tongue. It is worth observing subsequent feedings, and if necessary, consult a pediatrician.
Nursing mother must be observed strict diet during the first month of the baby’s life, then gradually try to introduce foods that were previously prohibited into your diet.
At the end of every day check your breasts for lumps , pain.
Maintain hygiene , before each feeding, wash your breasts with boiled water, or disinfect them with a furatsilin solution. If there are cracks in the nipples and they are treated with special creams, then carefully remove the remaining preparations.

Breastfeeding a baby: step-by-step instructions

The child sucks both the nipple and the areola, his lower lip turned outward.
The baby's nose fits tightly to the chest, but breathing is not impaired.
During the sucking process, you can only hear the baby swallowing milk, there are no extraneous sounds.
Mom does not feel discomfort during feeding.

By the hour or on demand: how to breastfeed your baby correctly

Concept feeding "by the hour" arose back in Soviet era when women were provided maternity leave for a very short time, I had to go to work early and adjust my child to the work schedule.

Each feeding approach has its pros and cons, here are advantages of feeding “by the hour”:

The baby’s daily routine is clearly formed, Mom can plan her time, knowing exactly when to feed the baby and when to go about her business.
The child gets used to this way of life, and sleeps better at night .

Disadvantages of feeding “by the hour”:

It is difficult for babies to survive such a long time without breastfeeding.
Every feeding baby sucks the breast with varying strength . If he was full in 20 minutes last time, then this time he may not finish.
Possibility of milk stagnation in the ducts of the mother's mammary glands increases .
Possible loss of lactation. The baby sucks less, does not stimulate the breast, which means less of the hormone prolactin is released.
The emotional connection between mother and baby is disrupted .

Many perceive feeding on demand a newfangled trend, but it is not so. From time immemorial, the child was near the mother, in her arms, took the breast when he wanted, and the formation of all humanity took place in this way, no one watched the clock.

The rhythm of life of a modern woman does not always coincide with feedings “on demand”, here are the disadvantages of this method:

Mom must be ready feed the baby at any time, even in public places .
Babies love to “hang” on their chests, which very often leads to bad night sleep . So it is necessary to constantly approach the cradle or put the baby in the parent’s bed, which is not always convenient.
The milk of a mother who feeds by the clock burns out on its own over time, based on the needs of the baby. In another feeding option - milk keeps coming , and stopping lactation can be very painful.

These are not even as negative as minor inconveniences that a nursing mother, having set herself up correctly, may not notice.

Among the advantages:

The child is gaining weight and developing normally.
The likelihood of tummy problems decreases.
No need to introduce complementary foods early age The child receives food and drink with milk.
A woman receives prevention of problems with the mammary glands.
The breasts are often stimulated, which means enough milk is produced, and you can feed the baby to the age you want.
There is no need to suck on a pacifier or pacifier.
The baby gets everything he wants from the breast, which means he grows up calmer.

How to properly attach a baby to the breast: photo instructions

How to attach a baby to the breast while lying down?

Feeding using the “side lying” method.

This method is ideal for night feedings. But he also has three varieties:

Baby's head is supported mother's hand, which allows his body to be slightly raised, his mouth is located opposite the nipple. With her free hand, the woman controls that the breast does not interfere with the free breathing of the child, or caresses him. Before feeding, the mother needs to place a pillow under her head and back to make feeding more comfortable.
Mother and baby lie on their sides on a flat surface, feeding occurs in the same way, from the breast that is below. The woman’s hands are absolutely free; they need to press the baby to calm him down. This is not the most comfortable position, but it has its place. The baby's head lies on a slight hill, he is turned on his side, the mother, leaning on her elbow, gives the breast a little from above.
Mother and baby lie on a pillow, and the child’s body should be placed completely on it. With one hand, hold the baby close to you, and the other will be free. In this position, you can feed from both breasts without turning over to the other side.

Feeding using the "lying-jack" method.

The method speaks for itself - mother and baby lie on their sides, the baby’s legs are located along the mother’s face, and a pillow can be placed under the baby’s head. This position is most effective when the mother has stagnation of milk in the upper part of the mammary gland.

Feeding using the “lying on your back” method.

Babies love to lie on their mother, touching their bellies with her. This is very effective for preventing colic and free passage of gas. The baby's head is slightly turned to the side, and the mother alternates feeding from one breast to the other. This position is ideal for women who release milk under strong pressure and the baby choke on it. And in this position the jet does not hit so hard.

Feeding using the “overhang” method.

When the mother's breast is slightly covered, the milk is distributed evenly towards the outlet, and it flows out of the breast more freely. This is an effective way to feed when the baby is too lazy to breastfeed because he has already tried a light drink from a bottle. Place the child's head slightly to one side, and lie on your stomach, rest your elbow, your chest should hang over the child, but not put pressure on him.

How to attach a baby to a large breast?

During lactation, a woman’s breasts increase significantly in volume, and if the breasts are already large, their changes can cause discomfort and some inconvenience during feeding.

Roll up for extra support towel or soft cloth And put it under your chest this way she will be in a more comfortable position.
In the first months of life, the baby is very small, and the breast can put pressure on him, so holding it with your hands is simply necessary. Over time, the baby will grow up, and milk production will be regulated, and additional help will not be so necessary. Use "C" hand position method . Place your arms under your chest on the outside, bending thumb, the girth of the arms should resemble the letter “C”. This action is very effective.
Relax your back, do not bend, but bring the baby to your chest using a pillow. Don't hover over your baby, just experiment with feeding positions at first and choose the ones that suit you best.
Select comfortable bra for nursing mothers , in it the chest will be well fixed, and the hands will remain free.
When the baby sucks, massage your breasts There is more adipose tissue in large breasts, you need to carefully move your arms so that there is no stagnation.
Good fit method of feeding when the baby is at hand.

How to place a baby on a small breast?

The volume of milk secreted by the female body in no way depends on the size of the breast. The amount of fatty tissue in the breasts does not affect milk production, but various other factors do.

Feed your baby only “on demand” The more often he suckles, the better the release of prolactin, the hormone for milk production, is stimulated.
Protect yourself from stress , getting enough rest and sleep never hurt anyone.
Provide yourself with the right and sufficiently high-calorie foods for milk production.
Take a warm shower , directing a stream of water to your chest, massage it with light movements.
If necessary, drink supplements, decoctions and drugs that promote milk production. But this is only after consultation with a doctor.

Feeding with small breasts is convenient hanging over the child, as well as lying on his side, leaning on his elbow.

In what position to breastfeed your baby: options with photos

Pose No. 1 - “Cradle” — you don’t have to strain your arms like in the photo; you can sit on a sofa or chair and place a pillow or stool under your feet.
Pose No. 2 - “Cross Cradle” — convenient for feeding in the initial period, one hand holds the baby’s body, the other controls the correct grip.
Pose No. 3 - “Under the arm” - good when the mother has congestion in the chest, the baby carefully absorbs milk from the lower and lateral milk lobules.
Pose No. 4 - “Hanging” - indispensable when the baby needs help with sucking, if he is too lazy to suckle, or when the mother needs to strain the mammary glands in the initial stages of feeding.

Pose No. 5 - “Lying on the hand” — often it is used for feeding at night, the baby is well supported by the mother’s hand; You just need a pillow, you can also put something under your back.
Pose No. 6 - “Jack” - saves when the mother has congestion in the upper parts of the chest. The child massages the sore spots with his chin, which is better than any kneading. The main thing is to place his chin towards the place where the congestion is, and make sure that his back is fixed on his side.
Pose No. 7 “Lying on a pillow” — suitable for feeding the baby with both breasts without changing its location.
Pose No. 8 - “Baby on top” - convenient for traveling in public transport, and when the flow of milk is too intense, it will not flow very strongly.

Pose No. 9 - “On the hip” - for a change to an experienced mother.
Pose No. 10 - “In a sitting position” - when the child gets a little older, you can feed him this way in nature, for example.
Pose No. 11 - “Sitting in a sling” — you can feed even on the go, you just need to lower the sling a little and put on nursing underwear in advance.
Pose No. 12 - “Feeding + rocking” - good if the child cannot fall asleep for a long time, even with motion sickness.

How to attach a baby if your chest hurts?

If you notice that the milk in your breasts is stagnant, it does not matter whether you feed your baby by the hour or on demand, offer him the “sick” breast as often as possible .
Change your feeding position , direct the baby’s lower jaw to the place where the lump appeared.
Stagnation in the area closer to the armpits - hand feed.
Heaviness in the very middle of the chest - feed from the side , just not the bottom one, but upper breast.
If milk has clogged the ducts in the lower part of the mammary glands - sit the baby on your lap, turn towards you and feed.
When pain occurs in the upper chest, which is not very common, assume the jack pose.
Let the baby suckle from the sore breast at least every hour. The amount of milk sucked is not so important , the main thing is to give it a way out through the ducts.
Sleep during periods of stagnation with your baby so that you can offer him the breast more often.

How to put a baby to the breast with lactostasis?

It often happens that stagnation of milk is accompanied by temperature and blockage of the milk lobes, this is lactostasis, read about it in detail in.

How to breastfeed a baby without pain and stagnation of milk: advice from pediatricians

Video: how to put a baby to the breast correctly

Breastfeeding will give your baby the right nutrients to support normal growth and development. In addition, the feeding process will help to establish an emotional connection between mother and baby. Prepare your breasts in advance for feeding, and do not let possible difficulties prevent you from feeding your baby breast milk. Fight for breastfeeding, take care of your health and the health of your baby!

When I start talking about the correct or incorrect way to attach a baby to the breast, I very often hear the following phrase: “What do you mean? Is it possible to breastfeed incorrectly? When I first started working as a lactation consultant, I was especially upset if I heard this phrase from the maternity hospital medical staff...

Breastfeeding is a very delicate thing.. 20-30 minutes after birth, when the newborn has a desire to suck, the baby begins to look for the breast, opens his mouth, makes nodding movements with his head and tries to crawl towards the nipple. And at these moments, when the child’s instinctive sucking activity has not yet been spoiled by anything, only 30% of children grasp the breast correctly and begin to suck productively! To the rest need help, breastfeed several times before the attempt can be called successful.

In most Russian maternity hospitals, no one delivers the baby after relaxation phases. Immediately after birth, the baby’s umbilical cord is cut, shown to the mother, and taken away for “processing.” IN best case scenario the baby will see his mother in 2 hours, and most likely in 6-12 hours. The mother is usually told that the baby is resting after childbirth; he is not in the mood for sucking now. At this time, the baby is usually given water or formula from the nipple 1-2 times. This is called pre-breastfeeding, which often develops the habit of sucking on the nipple rather than the breast. Doctors and nurses usually protest and say: “What nonsense, it’s okay, then he’ll suckle the breast, it won’t go anywhere.” In my experience this is not entirely true.

When I come to the postpartum department, I constantly meet children aged 2-3 days of life who do not even try to suckle the breast if it gets into their mouth. The baby demonstrates active searching behavior, opens his mouth, turns his head, and sometimes shouts. If I try to latch on to him, he opens his mouth wide, but doesn't try to start sucking. It happens that a child immediately begins to cry as soon as the breast is put into his mouth. A very common situation occurs when a child simply stops opening his mouth wide during searching behavior. This behavior is typical for children who have had experience sucking a pacifier or pacifier.

This “wonderful” picture is often observed: a mother sits over a plastic maternity hospital crib, admiring the peacefully sleeping baby sucking on a pacifier with the words “I love you, mama” written on it. (Lately, such pacifiers are very common in Moscow). I ask my mother if the baby is breastfeeding, to which my mother replies that she tried to give it a couple of times, but somehow he wasn’t very good... The second day after giving birth...

Usually, when I start telling my mother that if you periodically let the child suck on a bottle with a nipple, the child may refuse to breastfeed, the mother says: “Yes, it’s easier to suck from a bottle. And here (in the maternity hospital) the holes are so big.” Meanwhile it's not about the holes at all, and not about the ease of sucking.

The thing is that when sucking a pacifier, the child makes fundamentally different movements. It is actually easier to suckle at the breast, since the baby is “helped” by a reflexive process in the mother’s body, which contracts the smooth muscle cells around the gland lobules and pushes milk into the duct. Thanks to this reflex, milk is injected into the baby's mouth.

It should be noted here that the baby needs to suck in order to get rid of the feeling of discomfort. It doesn’t matter to a child what he sucks; everything is determined by habit. There is a widespread misconception that if a baby is given the breast first and then a bottle, the baby will not refuse the breast. Many mothers also believe that if you give your baby only water, tea or juice from a bottle, the baby will not refuse the breast. In fact, it doesn’t matter at all when and in what quantities he sucks on a pacifier or pacifier. There are children for whom it is enough to suck the pacifier 1-2 times to have problems with breastfeeding. There are babies who “suddenly” begin to act up at the breast at 2-3 months. There are children who happily suck whatever they are given, but gradually stop gaining weight.

The World Health Organization, in its bulletin on infant feeding, speaks on this issue as follows:

“U normal newborn sucking reflexes necessary for breastfeeding, are quite strong at birth. Practice confirms that some children born at the 32nd week of pregnancy weigh only 1200g able to breastfeed effectively more before they learn to suck from artificial nipples. However, these crucial reflexes may be weak or absent in cases of too early termination of pregnancy, in children with extremely low birth weight, and in sick children... ... However, the most common reasons the reduced effectiveness of these reflexes is the use of sedatives or painkillers during childbirth and postpartum learning interventions . The child's instinctive movements must be consolidated into correct behavior during the postpartum period. Using other oral objects, pacifiers, or pacifiers during this period may expose the baby to other oral movements that are inappropriate for breastfeeding.

…. for successful establishment of breastfeeding, factors that reduce the duration, efficiency and frequency of breastfeeding by a child must be eliminated by any in an accessible way. These factors include: limited feeding time, scheduled feeding, awkward feeding positions, use of other oral objects, and the baby receiving other liquids such as water, sugar solutions, vegetable or animal milk products.”

For the formation of full lactation in the mother, for long-term and successful breastfeeding, the importance of proper attachment is enormous.

Only with proper attachment does the baby stimulate the breast to produce sufficient milk. Only with proper attachment can the baby suck out as much milk as he needs. Only correct attachment will not cause any discomfort in the mother during feeding and will never lead to the need to interrupt feeding due to painful sensations, because they simply won't exist.

What is proper latching of a baby to the breast?

The baby should grasp the nipple and areola with a vigorous “butting” movement of the head, lifting the breast, and then, as if placing it as the breast moves down, onto a wide-open mouth, with the tongue lowered but not protruding under the breast. It is necessary that this grip be complete and deep so that the nipple is in the child’s mouth almost at the level of the soft palate, i.e. The nipple and areola should actually fill the entire oral cavity of the child. For such a grip, a very wide-open mouth is required, and if the baby is unable to immediately open his mouth correctly, then you can help the child by running the nipple along his lower lip, causing a reflex movement of the lips and opening of the mouth. Often the baby's first reaction to the mother's breast will be to lick it and only then grab it.

With proper latching on the breast, the child maintains a wide-open mouth; from the side it can be seen that the lower lip is completely inverted (it is pushed out by the front edge of the tongue lying on the lower jaw). The areola fits completely into the baby's mouth if it is small. If the areola is large, then its capture is almost complete, asymmetrical. From below, the child captures the areolas more than from above.

The effectiveness of sucking is determined not through the creation of negative pressure, but through a rhythmic massage of the areola, carried out by the movements of the child’s tongue.

A child sucks a bottle of any shape and with any hole size in the same way as an adult sucks from a straw: by creating negative pressure. The tongue is not involved in sucking from a bottle. There are no milking movements of the tongue. The tongue is usually located behind the lower jaw. Therefore, when a baby who is used to sucking a bottle gets breast in his mouth, he does not know what to do with it. In the extreme case of improper attachment, the nipple gets caught between the jaws, and the baby sucks on the breast just like a bottle. If the nipple is between the jaws, the mother usually experiences quite strong discomfort. The severity of pain depends on the thickness of the skin of the areola and the individual sensitivity of the woman. But in any case, the nipple is injured very quickly, and often already on the second day after birth, if the attachment is incorrect, abrasions appear, which turn into cracks if the attachment is not corrected. This situation is so common that many women consider cracking to be a necessary evil that comes with breastfeeding.

The painless option of incorrect application turns out to be very “insidious”. In this case, the nipple itself falls behind the jaws and lies on the tongue along with a small part of the areola. The child expresses it... In this case, it does not hurt the mother, because... The baby does not bite the nipple. The baby even gets some milk. But the breasts do not receive enough stimulation and do not empty well. This gradually leads to a decrease in milk supply. Usually the child in this case does not gain weight very well. Or there is a gradual decrease in the increase. For example, in the first month the child gained 900 g, in the second - 600, in the third - 450. If the child is somatically healthy, feeds on demand, does not suck on anything except the breast, then most likely there is a painless variant of improper attachment.

If a woman has never seen how a baby should suck, if no one has shown her how to properly give the baby the breast and how he should suck, how to control the quality of attachment during sucking, there is a very high probability that she herself will not attach the baby quite correctly and not will be able to teach him the correct behavior at the breast. She doesn’t know that she needs to learn something here...

In those distant times, when breastfeeding in our society was commonplace, and not a rare exception, every woman could help a mother who was starting to breastfeed, correct her mistakes, and show her the necessary techniques.

Currently, most women do not have the opportunity to learn motherhood practically. Many people read various magazines or books for parents, and then try to care for and feed their baby based on the theoretical knowledge they have acquired.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to learn how to properly attach a baby to the breast from books, magazines and pictures. Practical training is required. In maternity hospitals, where most modern babies are born in industrialized countries, no one is engaged in such training. The vast majority of health workers do not have the necessary knowledge for this. What is needed to successfully train another woman is first and foremost a positive personal experience with breastfeeding. Nurses and midwives, like most modern women, do not have such experience. Incorrect attachment, being widespread, does not cause any concern on the part of medical staff. Women are given only routine recommendations for healing abrasions or cracks, if any. If the baby and mother have painless improper attachment and the associated lack of milk, then the problem is solved by prescribing supplementary feeding and ends with a rapid transition to artificial feeding, because supplementary feeding is given from a bottle with a nipple. The problem of improper attachment is accompanied by breast refusal.

What should a woman do when putting her baby to her breast?

Try to find someone who knows how to breastfeed. If it is not possible to find a breastfeeding consultant (in European countries, North America, Australia this is not a problem), let it be a mother who is not breastfeeding her first child, who has monitored the quality of latching, who has fed for a long time, who does not use pacifiers or pacifiers, who has never had no problems with nipples (abrasions, cracks). Observe how she gives the breast to her baby and how her baby sucks. This could be your roommate.

If you experience unpleasant or painful sensations while sucking your baby, and the medical staff cannot correct anything with their manipulations, try to find a mother who does not experience discomfort when feeding and consult with her.

The best option for the mother is when she is taught how to latch on by a woman who has extensive practical experience and knows how to distinguish between different latch options for different nipple shapes.

For example, at first glance at two nursing roommates, especially from a distance of one meter, it may seem that one mother is doing well, while the other’s latch is not very deep. But upon closer examination, it turns out that the first mother’s grip was insufficient, although it does not hurt the mother, the child is actually licking the nipple and the mouth is not open wide enough. The baby will need to be retrained and the mother will need to monitor the quality of attachment. In another case, it turns out that although the baby has a very small mouth and the mother has a large nipple, the baby sticks out his tongue very well, positions it correctly and expresses the breast perfectly.

When latching your baby, try to follow the general recommendations:

1. Place your breast into your baby's MOUTH WIDELY OPEN ONLY! Do not try to push the nipple into the half-open mouth; most likely, the child will clamp it with his jaws or he will not take it deep enough.

2. Try to act quickly, because The child holds his mouth wide open for a second or two. If you didn't have time, wait until next time. Help your baby open his mouth by running the nipple along his lower lip several times in a row.

3. Be patient. Very often I observe such mother actions: the mother takes the baby, tries to attach him, the child displays active searching behavior, turns his head. Mom says: “He doesn’t want to!” The mother perceives the child’s instinctive behavior aimed at searching for the nipple as a negative response from an adult! Or, for example, it very often happens when a mother touches the child’s lower lip with her nipple, he squeezes his mouth. Mom again immediately says that the baby does not want to suck. Meanwhile, if she continued the sentence, the baby would definitely open his mouth. After all, the child does not yet understand what they want from him. He doesn't know that he is expected to open his mouth. For most children, it takes at least two weeks to develop a stable skill of correctly latching onto the nipple, in response to their mother’s suggestion!

4. Very often, having grabbed the breast correctly, the baby, while sucking, slides onto the tip of the nipple and begins to bite it. Mom experiences painful sensations, but she tolerates them. Painful sucking is unacceptable! The baby does not know that he is sucking incorrectly! He needs to be taught how to suck properly. If the baby begins to slide onto the tip of the nipple, the breast must be picked up correctly (opening the baby's jaws, quickly putting the tip of the finger in the corner of the mouth) and re-introduced.

5. Typically, the baby slides down to the tip of the nipple if the nose does not touch the breast while sucking.. Most maternity hospitals recommend holding your breast above the nose with your finger to make breathing easier. But the baby feels the breast with his face! He should touch the breast with his nose while sucking. This position should be maintained throughout sucking and at any age of the baby. If he does not touch his nose to the breast, the newborn does not know that he is already in “place”, and may make searching movements with the nipple in his mouth! His mother immediately says that the baby does not want to suck. The baby’s nose is designed in such a way that the tip makes a “hole” in the chest and breathes through small triangular slits at the wings of the nose. Therefore, there is no need to hold the breast with your finger above the spout. Not only does this maneuver spoil the application, it also contributes to the occurrence of lactostasis in the upper lobes of the gland, because Mom pinches the ducts with her finger and makes it difficult for milk to flow out.

The baby should not be allowed to pull back the nipple or pass it back and forth between the jaws. It is necessary to hold the head when trying to retract the nipple. And take away the breast if the baby begins to “play around”, causing pain to the mother. An older child should not be allowed to turn his head with the nipple in his mouth if he wants to look at some object. The baby should follow the object of interest only with his eyes. Or he should let go of his chest and turn his head if he needs it.

6. I would especially like to note the “inconvenient” nipple shapes - flat nipples, inverted, long, thick. Any newborn who is able to suck can adapt to any shape of his mother's nipple. A mother who has a nipple of an “unconventional” shape should show more patience and persistence in teaching her child to suck properly. And she should try to ensure that her baby never receives other “oral objects”, because... In any case, they will seem more convenient for sucking than the mother's breast.

7. For a mother with flat and inverted nipples, the moment when the baby draws the breast into the mouth is very important. If a baby gets a bottle, pacifier or pacifier in his mouth, he stops making a retracting movement. Both the nipple and the pacifier are already extended, they do not need to be retracted further. Therefore, when the baby gets his mother’s milk in his mouth flat nipple, he just opens his mouth and waits, doesn’t try to draw it in. A mother with flat or inverted nipples should try to prevent other sucking objects from getting into the baby's mouth. If necessary, you can give supplementary feeding or your own expressed milk from a spoon, syringe or pipette.

If mom has long and/or large nipples, it is very important for her to put them in her mouth as deeply as possible, carrying the nipple itself past the jaws. In the case of a long nipple, the child very often closes his jaws on the nipple or immediately behind the nipple. The areola practically does not enter the mouth, the baby does not express it, it turns out that he simply licks the nipple. He cannot express milk this way; the breasts are not emptied or stimulated. There is a shortage of milk. A large nipple cannot be placed in an insufficiently open mouth. The baby, after sucking a pacifier or pacifier, stops opening his mouth wide, because... To suck these objects there is absolutely no need to open your mouth wide.

A child with the smallest mouth can suck on his mother’s breast with the largest or longest, or any other “inconvenient”, from our point of view, nipple. You just need to place the breast in your mouth correctly, be patient and persistent. Just everything.

In conclusion, I would like to say that by teaching the child to suckle correctly, the mother provides him with complete, ideal nutrition in the future, and for herself long-term stable lactation.

Today I would like to talk to you about proper latching and its importance in various aspects of breastfeeding. In fact, Having proper attachment solves almost all problems in the field of breastfeeding, which most often occur in nursing mothers. Let's think about from the very beginning what problems mothers face and how proper attachment and deep nipple latching affect the situation.

Start of feeding and newborn babies

The most important thing for a newborn baby and his mother is to learn how to breastfeed correctly, this is the key to success! Most A favorable moment for this is to give the baby the breast - immediately or at least within an hour after birth, if anyone has this opportunity, take advantage!

Even now I really regret that when my eldest daughter and I were lying on the gurney together after giving birth, all I could do was look at her as if enchanted - be smart!

Agree with the staff in advance, use any moment to do this! Give your dear baby the first thing to suck on – the breast! At this moment, you get to know each other, the child in these seconds understands WHAT is important for him, forever remembers your smell and taste of colostrum. Instinctively takes the breast correctly and “remembers” this moment at the level of muscular, emotional, psychological memory, and, as it were, finds for itself that “island” of comfort, calm, coziness and safety. This will make him clearly understand that everything that is thrust on him in your absence (for example, in the children's department, if they suddenly separate) is not the same, and he will definitely take the breast more actively when you are together. Proper latching on the breast will allow your baby to effectively suck out colostrum, thereby ensuring high-quality immunity, satiety, comfortable digestion and bowel movements, which is so important in 1-3 days.

Another important aspect of proper latching after childbirth and in the first days is the arrival of milk, the more effectively your baby sucks the breast in the first day or two, the faster the first milk will come, and the more efficiently the baby sucks it, the less breast engorgement, less discomfort. And finally, correct application, effective sucking, completely eliminates the need to supplement the baby's feeding, any kind of milk substitutes, not only in the first days and months, but throughout the entire period of breastfeeding.

We also read: 6 main rules of breastfeeding: No. 1: Early attachment to the breast: establishing contact with the baby, No. 2: Correct attachment is the basis for successful feeding, No. 3: Feeding on demand is an important condition for breastfeeding, No. 4: Duration of feeding: how long time, the baby should suckle, No. 5: Alternate attachment, No. 6: Feed at night -

Physiology of lactation

The entire physiology of lactation is based on the baby's sucking. I will write briefly, because... A lot of works and opinions have been written about this, they all boil down to one thing: no sucking - no milk. The more effective the sucking (this is just the correct attachment), the more often the breasts are emptied (frequency of attachments) - the more milk the mother has (the amount of milk). That's the trick. Mommies, don’t skimp on milk, don’t hesitate to feed more often, watch the latch, pay maximum attention to it at the very beginning, maintain it, and the physiology of lactation will interest you only for general development.

The amount of breast milk and everything that concerns it

Most mothers are often worried about the lack of milk, although in the vast majority this is unjustified worry. Nevertheless… The amount of milk directly depends on proper application.

Correct application stimulates the mammary gland like nothing else in the world. Correct sucking, in which the baby's tongue clasps the breast well, gently massages almost the entire areola and thereby stimulates the brain centers responsible for lactation and the production of lactation hormones. If a child is poorly attached to the breast, sucks milk worse, is fed with formula for no particular reason (“too often” asks for the breast), as a result, breast stimulation becomes worse, has less effect on the brain, and, consequently, milk production decreases. If you want more milk, pay attention to your latch!

Transition from SV or IV to GV. Relactation

This topic has its own characteristics: in addition to knowledge, colossal patience and a great desire to breastfeed, the mother needs to know exactly why she is doing it. Different mothers have different goals. Yes - it's not easy; yes - it takes time: yes - you need a lot of patience: yes - a great desire. But those who overcame it never regretted it. Including me...

And here, correct application also does not remain aside... After a difficult stage, when, at first glance, the most in unusual ways, the child is again persuaded, motivated, in a word, seduced to take the breast and suck it, the stage of teaching the baby to properly suck comes. And it is thanks to correct latching on the breast and sucking that lactation regains its full strength, stimulation intensifies, and if everything is done correctly, then even adopted children are able to receive mother’s milk (you can’t hide your surprise!) And it’s amazing what maternal love and the female body can do .

Weaning and completion of breastfeeding

At first glance, what is the connection here? But I know this... How many mothers say: my baby doesn’t get enough milk at all, I supplement him with a bottle and this has become our main diet, isn’t it easier to completely transfer him to IV? But, for some reason, rarely do any mothers ask, why did he stop eating my milk? But because he cannot suck out enough milk, even if there is some. Early introduction of supplementary feeding (most often unreasonable) causes the child to become confused, because... bottle and breast require different sucking and different uses muscles of the lips, mouth and tongue. The principle of sucking itself is completely different. And if a child begins to suckle at the breast like a bottle, this inevitably leads to malnutrition, poor weight gain, poor emptying of the breast, lack of milk, the mother gives the bottle even more and more often, because... is already justifiably starting to worry and as a result the child is on the verge of IV.

Example. The mother decided to supplement the feeding “a little”, the child at an early age received another object for sucking, there the nutrition flows like a river, there is no need to work and suck, the child is quite capable of understanding that it is easier this way. Here he is given a breast, where he needs to suckle “empty” for some time so that the milk comes out, but the child no longer likes it, he needs everything at once. Many babies become anxious at the breast after using a bottle for the first time.. As a result, a child with a bottle, especially if it is an everyday object for sucking, almost inevitably deteriorates the breast latch, which in turn shortens the breastfeeding period to 1-2 months. This, of course, does not apply to children who successfully fed on their mother’s breasts until they were more mature for this age. But still, there is food for thought...

Long-term feeding

Currently, everything more moms, strive to feed longer, understanding the importance of breastfeeding for the health and development of the baby. And this certainly makes me happy. But if you can read about it everywhere, even in a children’s clinic on a stand, then how to do it so that you can feed for a long time is not written so often and mothers have to look for this information. It's sad that not many people do this. Meanwhile, correct attachment is the primary condition for long-term and comfortable natural feeding.

From the consultant's practice: The most common mistake, which, like a snowball, wraps itself around other problems, is the unreasonable introduction of the mixture into various options. Most often, the reasons for introducing formula, according to mothers, are: “something is naughty, I’ll give the formula once,” “It’s okay if I supplement it at night so that I can sleep better,” “I need to leave, but I’ll pump for a long time, I’ll give it to you.” mixture while I’m away,” etc. The introduction of formula from a bottle, especially at an early age, with almost 100% probability reduces lactation, up to 1-2 months, then only IV. At the very beginning of lactation, when the relationship with the breast is just being established, the introduction of formula is strictly not recommended. Unless, of course, this is dictated by medical indications: significant underweight (less than 125 grams per week), hypogalactia, separation from the mother and inability to feed expressed milk, etc.

Therefore, mothers who want to breastfeed longer, avoid supplementing their babies with formula unless absolutely necessary.! Monitor your latch, even if it seems to you that it is correct, it would be a good idea to make sure of this by reading articles, watching videos, and for greater confidence, by contacting a lactation consultant.

Organization of breastfeeding and frequency of applications

The question of organizing breastfeeding most often arises at the very beginning of lactation. Moms are very embarrassed that the child often asks for the breast in the first weeks of life. Literally every hour, or as mothers say: “as soon as I put him in the crib, he cries again and asks for the breast.”

The fact is that the mother needs to learn to understand when the child really does not get enough, this happens most often when the baby is not feeding properly. And when he is driven only by an increased need for sucking (this also includes the need for intimacy, discomfort, feeling lonely, wanting to poop, pee, eat, cold, uncomfortable, etc., all these needs are satisfied by your breasts and you). It's very easy to understand! If your child feels quite calm and happy at your breast, if he pees often enough (before the 12th day, normal peeing is equal to days from birth +/- 1 time, after the 12th day they are equal to 12 times a day or more). And also in the first weeks (4-6 weeks) he poops several times a day in sufficient volume, and after 4-6 weeks he poops less often, but at the same time the volume of stool is significant, then there is definitely enough milk! And frequent breast demand is not associated with a lack of milk. In any case, if the baby requires the breast very often, it makes sense to check, first of all, the attachment, no matter what the baby’s age.

Attachment to the breast may sometimes vary. When can this happen?

The child was given a pacifier.
Started supplementing or bottle-feeding.
Unusual position of application. When changing feeding positions, always pay attention to how your baby latch onto the breast.
Attachment changed during teething.
As the child grows, he begins to twirl around his chest and take extreme feeding positions (upside down, standing on his feet, hanging over his shoulder, etc.). Experienced mothers know how this happens.
Lack of attachment control on the part of the mother.

Read more about feeding positions:“cradle”, “cross cradle”, “standing cradle”, lying on the side, from under the arm, lying on the back -

At an older age, if latching has not changed, the baby pees, poops well and gains weight, but latching has become much more frequent, the reason may be physical or psychological discomfort.

Pacifiers, bottles and proper attachment

Based on the practice of breastfeeding consultants, experienced mothers, mothers who have gone through pacifier or bottle withdrawal, we all agree that these concepts are antipodes!

No matter how cool the bottle is, no matter how it “repeats” the shape of a woman’s breast, no matter how cool, beautiful and stylish the pacifier is, they all harm breastfeeding.

Sucking at the breast is a special skill with which babies are born, and if a baby is put to the breast immediately after birth, then he will have much fewer problems with latching in the future than a peer who receives the breast a few hours or days later. If this does not happen, the mother of the newborn needs to pay special attention to proper attachment, make sure that additional bottle feeding and the possible use of a pacifier do not affect the breast latch. Of course, as with any rule, there is an exception; some babies successfully breastfeed from birth and even such “devices” as bottles and pacifiers do not matter to them. But their percentage is small. There will be a separate discussion about the influence of a pacifier in the near future, but now we will discuss the bottle and how it is dangerous.

Why can foreign objects for sucking have such an impact on breast latch?

The fact is that the very principle of breast sucking and plastic breast substitutes are fundamentally different. When suckling at the breast, the baby uses the entire complex of muscles of the mouth, especially the tongue. A prerequisite for effective milk production is to place the tongue on the lower jaw, on top of the lower gum, with which the baby expresses the milk into her mouth in a wave-like motion and then swallows. When sucking a bottle or pacifier, the baby uses the muscles of the cheeks, the tongue does not take any part in sucking, only the back part of it helps to swallow the contents of the bottle. The tongue remains inside and is not laid out on the lower jaw, so when the baby is offered the breast, he often begins to get confused and try to suck the breast as a substitute, but nothing is sucked out. The child yells, the mother makes sure “there is no milk” and gives the bottle again. This is the cycle...

I would like to tell you dear mothers, pay attention to how the baby takes the breast, believe me, there are no trifles here! Do not allow the nipple to be latched incorrectly, especially if you feel pain, gently latch the breast and reattach as best as possible. Remember, the more often your baby takes the breast incorrectly, and you allow it, the more he gets used to sucking this way and the more difficult it is to retrain the baby later.

We have touched upon only some aspects of natural feeding from the point of view of the influence of proper attachment, but in fact the list can be continued.

And currently I am writing a continuation of this article. So see you again!

Breastfeeding consultant Yulia Grudacheva ().

Watch a video consultation on how to properly latch your baby to the breast. This video will teach you feeding techniques that will make breastfeeding enjoyable for you and your baby. Together with the mother of a 2-month-old child, you will also receive answers from a neonatologist to the most popular questions about breastfeeding:

How to latch on to your baby to ensure your baby is latching on effectively:

More on the topic (posts from this section)

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Additional keys: · how to apply to the chest while lying down · how to apply correctly big breasts· how to properly attach the breast when feeding · correctly attach a baby to the breast · how to correctly attach a baby to the breast for the first time · correctly attach a baby to the breast while lying down · how to correctly attach a baby to a large breast · how to correctly attach to a small breast

The birth of a child is a great miracle. A newborn baby is defenseless and needs care and, of course, breast milk. Doctors around the globe are urging all new mothers to feed as much as possible breastfeeding longer, since milk has a unique composition. That is, it is 100% suitable for the baby. But every year more and more young mothers have problems with lactation - the baby’s milk runs out after six months. What is the reason?

Doctors put forward the theory that the wrong behavior of women is to blame. This is precisely why women in labor need to learn breastfeeding skills and how to properly place a baby on her. In this article we will talk about the specifics of breastfeeding and how to understand what the baby wants. In a word - so that the child receives only positive emotions while breastfeeding.

How to properly attach your baby to the breast

First of all, you need to choose a comfortable position, because the feeding process can take a long time, and the woman can get tired. Feeding can occur from different positions, and as usual, each young mother chooses exactly the one that suits her. And during the entire procedure, the baby should be positioned with his stomach towards his mother and facing the nipple. The baby's head must be firmly fixed so that he can change the position of the nipple inside his mouth and “signal” to his mother that he is full.
Attention! The baby's nose should be close to the chest, but not buried in it. Since when a newborn craves the nipple, the likelihood of capturing it superficially increases. This concerns the question - “how to properly apply large breasts?” Women with large breasts need to be especially careful.
The baby should take the nipple without the help of the mother. You should not put it in the baby's mouth. If the child has grabbed only the tip, then by gently pressing the chin the mother can free herself at any time.

Chest grab: how to do it correctly?

How to properly put your baby to the breast? Pay attention to the feeding process itself. It should be like this:

the child grasps the areola and nipple, and the lips turn outward;
the nose is tightly adjacent to the mother’s chest;
During feeding, only the sounds of sips should be heard;
the mother is comfortable during lactation, she does not experience any discomfort.

Do I need a schedule?

Correctly attach the baby to the breast. Feeding regimen is another difficult point for young mothers. Older generation women claim that feeding should take place strictly according to the clock.

Today, children's doctors refute this technique and argue that breasts should be given to babies only on demand. Depending on how much milk the baby eats, the mother will produce as much milk. Of course, the more feeding processes occur, the better the production will be.

Duration of feeding

There are no specific boundaries here. It all depends on the desires and personal abilities of the baby. One thing is clear - a healthy little person should actively eat for at least half an hour. The maximum is for the kids to determine for themselves.

Some babies suck intensely, get satiated quickly and let go of the breast. Others suckle slowly and sometimes fall asleep at the breast. If you take out the nipple, they want milk again. To wake him up, you can touch his cheek or remove his nipple.

As a rule, at the beginning of lactation, a newborn is put to the breast about 10 times a day. After some time - about 7-8 times a day.

Is the child full or not?

The child is full, and that’s why he’s happy. This can be said to be an axiom. The baby simply lowers the breast or falls asleep. A well-fed child can be recognized by the following signs:

the baby lets go of the nipple after feeding on his own;
grows proportionally and gains weight;
the baby has a healthy sleep;
the child is active.

Left or right breast

It is recommended to give only 1 breast at a time. In subsequent times, alternation is possible. This strategy has the potential to establish the correct supply of milk to the mammary glands. Feeding one breast is the supply of both liquid milk to the child's body (it serves as a drink), and thick milk - which serves as food. But if the baby hasn’t eaten enough, give him a second breast.

If the milk produced by the mother’s body is not enough, then it is recommended to give both breasts during one feeding. This phenomenon occurs when the baby reaches the age of 2 months. Believing that breasts are soft means that there is no milk is a delusion. If a mother sees that her child has already had enough from the 1st breast, then there is no point in offering the 2nd. You can overfeed the baby.

How often to put your baby to the breast

Practice has proven more than once that a baby can be overfed. It all comes down to how often the baby demands to “eat.” If he is full after feedings, then presumably the feeling of hunger may occur after 3 hours. However, if the baby asks to “eat” more often, then you should not refuse him feeding. Perhaps he didn't eat enough last time. It is for this reason that feeding on demand is the golden rule of breastfeeding in our 21st century.

Many women in labor are afraid to overfeed the baby, fearing negative consequences. The main thing is don’t panic! This is not excluded, but he will certainly regurgitate everything unnecessary. Therefore, there will be no harm to your well-being.

How quickly does a child digest food?

If a little person eats often, will his digestive system cope with the load? There are no motives for worry here at all. Mother's milk has such an ideal composition that the baby's stomach can easily cope with processing food.

Crying and feeding

Young mothers are faced with different situations - in particular, the fact that the newborn is crying at the breast. Here the question arises: “how to give breastfeeding without him crying?” In such a case, the baby needs to be calmed down, rocked in your arms, pressed against your body, sung a song, and talked. In any case, the breast is an alternative for calming the baby. In view of this, it is not possible to force the nipple into the mouth for a long time.

How to stop feeding

In our article, we talked a lot about how to properly attach to the breast for the first time and more. It is important not to forget how to properly wean your baby. In order to avoid negative feelings and not provoke problems in the future (cracks in the nipple area, for example), we remove the breast only after the baby has released it. To do this, you need to insert your little finger into the corner of your mouth and make a slight half-turn movement or gently press on your chin.

Milk stagnation

The process of breastfeeding is far from easy. And almost all women know this. It happens that the baby does not eat everything and milk stagnation occurs. At the same time, the chest turns to stone. If this phenomenon is left to chance, then you can get mastitis with subsequent surgical intervention. How to properly stop this problem? If lumps appear and the temperature rises, you should urgently go to the doctor or take action.

At the moment, shower massages, offering to suckle the baby's breast, or simply expressing milk help. Compresses such as cabbage leaves and honey also help. Compresses must be applied after each baby’s “meal”. If the temperature remains high for several days, then a visit to the doctor is necessary.

The main thing is common sense

Often, young parents take what they are told too literally and make trivial mistakes:

Wash your breasts before each feeding. In fact, it is enough to use the toilet with this part of the body only in the morning and evening. Otherwise, the protective lubricant that serves as protection against bacteria is washed off.
Do not hold your breasts with your hands while breastfeeding. This can lead to stagnation of milk.
It is forbidden to give your child water or baby tea. In the first months of life, mother's milk is both drink and food.
Refusal to breastfeed if you have a cold or cracked nipples. You can use silicone nipple devices. If you have a runny nose, for example, wear a mask.

Should I pump or not?

At the end of the feeding process, you need to express the milk. Expressing should be done in a small, clean container, with clean, damp hands. There are many breast pumps on the market, but they must be used carefully as they can injure the nipple.

How to properly attach to the breast for the first time, that is, in the 1st hour after the baby is born.

This is how milk production begins to be stimulated.
If the baby is hungry, he finds the breast on his own and smacks his lips.
If he does not smack his lips, the mother can independently apply the nipple to the baby's mouth.
The baby should grab both the nipple and the part near the nipple.
When giving the breast, you need to pay attention to the cheeks and nose that fit tightly to the chest.
During one feeding, it is better to feed the baby on one breast, since the baby may not receive enough nutrients contained in hind milk.

To launch the correct production mechanism breast milk, the feeding process as early as possible. Today, the interval between the birth of a child and the first breastfeeding should be about 2 hours. How to properly attach to the breast for the first time? This is very important for feeding in the future. In this way, the baby’s skills in correctly latching on to the nipple are formed. Consequently, the sucking process takes place with comfort.

Specific points when feeding

A nursing woman should eat foods rich in fiber and not overdo it with sugar. Alcohol and smoking are strictly prohibited. It is better not to eat eggs, citrus fruits, chocolate, and nuts during lactation.
Mom needs to watch less TV and spend time at the computer, as this disrupts the connection between mother and baby. Hold the baby upright after feeding (this will prevent colic).
The baby needs to be given the opportunity to burp.
Do not breastfeed if the mother has such diseases - AIDS, tuberculosis, pyelonephritis, etc. And for the child’s illnesses – diseases of the central nervous system, breathing.

You need to be able to properly put your baby to the breast in order to establish breastfeeding and give the baby the best nutrition.