WHEN LATCHING
Anne J Barnes - May 1995
Have nipple and baby’s nostrils
in line before latching.
Baby held around shoulders.
Head supported but NOT pushed in against breast.
Head tilted back slightly.
Baby’s body and legs wrapped in around mother.
Push with base
of hand on baby’s back and shoulders when MOUTH WIDE OPEN to
move baby quickly onto breast, so chin and lower jaw touch
breast first.
WATCH LOWER LIP, aim it as far from base of nipple as
possible, so tongue draws LOTS OF BREAST in mouth.
Move baby’s body and head together - keep uncurled.
Once latched, top lip will be close to nipple, areola shows
above lip. Keep chin close against breast.
Mother's
View While Latching Baby
 |
Push hand
firmly against baby's shoulders keeping
baby "uncurled" chin coming in first. |
Need mouth wide before
baby is moved onto the breast.
Teach your baby to open wide/gape:
Move baby toward breast, touch top
lip against nipple
Move mouth away SLIGHTLY
Touch top lip
against nipple again, move away again
REPEAT UNTIL BABY OPENS WIDE and has
tongue forward
Mother's
View While Latching Baby
 |
Area
draws in baby's mouth |
Mother's View of
Nursing Baby
 |
Head tilted
slightly back
Chin well in
against breast
Hold in firmly
against shoulders,
keeping baby uncurled |
Recommendations for
the Mother
- Mother’s posture
-
sit with
straight, well-supported back.
trunk facing forwards, lap flat.
- Baby’s position before
feed begins
-
on pillow,
nostril (not mouth) in line with nipple.
- Baby’s body
-
placed not quite
tummy to tummy, but so that baby comes up to breast from
below and baby’s upper eye makes eye contact with
mother’s.
- Support breast
-
and firm inner
breast tissue by raising breast slightly with fingers placed
flat on chest wall and thumb pointing up (if helpful, also
use sling of tensor bandage around breast).
- Entice baby to gape
-
baby’s head
and shoulders supported so head extends slightly as baby
moved to breast.
touch baby’s top lip to nipple and move baby away slightly
and repeat until baby opens wide with tongue forward.
- Move baby quickly on to
breast
-
head tilted back
slightly, pushing in across shoulders so chin and lower jaw
make first contact (not nose) while mouth still wide open,
keep baby uncurled (means tongue nearer breast).
lower lip is aimed as far from nipple as possible so
baby’s tongue draws in maximum amount of breast tissue.
Cautions
- Mother needs to avoid
-
pushing her
breast across her body
chasing the baby with her breast
flapping the breast up and down
holding breast with scissor grip
not supporting breast
twisting her body towards the baby instead of slightly away
aiming nipple to center of baby’s mouth
pulling baby’s chin down to open mouth
flexing baby’s head as is brought to breast
moving breast into baby’s mouth instead of bringing baby
to breast
moving baby onto breast without a proper gape
not moving baby onto breast quickly enough at height of gape
having baby’s nose touch breast first and not the chin
holding breast away for baby’s nose
From : Bestfeeding : getting breastfeeding right for you M Renfrew, C Fisher, S Arms
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