Jul 21 2008
Breastfeeding tips: The Holds
When I had my first son, I was all set for breastfeeding. I thought I knew everything there was to know about breastfeeding and that it would be a breeze. I mean, how hard could breastfeeding really be?
The answer was really hard. I had problems with latching, which required a shield, problems with milk supply, and a multitude of other worries. The biggest problem for me was that breastfeeding didn’t have that relieved feeling of contentment where I could hear my baby making large gulping sounds as his jaw made that large movement with each swallow. I felt completely inept and a failure as a mother because I found breastfeeding to be very stressful. All the worries that I had came bubbling to the surface whenever he didn’t latch and I spent the breastfeeding time in near tears as I watched the breastfeeding consultant fix him to my breast properly.
Breastfeeding was not fun but my experiences with breastfeeding does not have to be the normal experience for first time (or even subsequent) mom’s. Today, I am going to talk about some of the holds that you can do when you breastfeed and over the weeks to come, I will have other helpful tips for breastfeeding.
Before I go on to describe the holds, I do want to mention that not every hold works for every woman and you shouldn’t feel pressured to try them all. If a hold works for you, by all means use that hold. There is no reason to mix things up since it can throw off your breastfeeding routine. I am going to describe four holds that are commonly used for breastfeeding. Feel free to add any holds that you can think of in the comments.
The Holds:
The First hold that I am going to look at is the cradle hold. This is one of the most common and for many women it is one of the most comfortable holds that a mother can use. A nursing pillow is recommended for this position but you can use a regular pillow. Before you begin breastfeeding, place the pillow around your waist. Lay your baby on his side so that his stomach is against your stomach with your arm curled under him and his head resting in the crook of your arm, face level with your nipple. Tuck his lower arm under your arm and bring him to your nipple.
The second hold that I would like to describe is the cross-cradle hold. This is very similar to the cradle hold except you will be holding the baby with the opposite arm than the breast that you are nursing the baby from. This is an excellent hold if you need to see what the baby is doing and to help position your breast. The baby is laying the same way as in the cradle hold but your opposite arm is across her back and your hand is supporting her head while she nurses. A nursing pillow is also recommended for this position.
The football hold was one of my personal favorites and it is a position that is usually recommended for women with large breasts or women who had cesarean deliveries. In this position, the baby is placed on his side a nursing pillow that is positioned against your side. His feet should be slightly behind your arm and his head should be level with your nipple. Your arm should be against your baby’s back and his head should be supported by your hand. If your breasts are large, you can hold the underside of your breast with your free hand but be sure that your baby is getting enough of the breast into his mouth for a proper latch. To help with the latch, try to keep baby’s hands out of the way by tucking one arm under your breast and the other beside his chest.
And last but certainly not least is the lying down position, which is a wonderful way to snooze while baby is nursing. For this position, lay down beside your baby with your lower arm tucked under your head while your baby is positioned onto her side with her tummy against yours and her head is positioned in front of your nipple. Place your free arm behind your baby’s back for support or hold your breast while she nurses if it is necessary.
Hopefully, out of these four positions you will find one that works for you but if at any time you feel uncomfortable with breastfeeding, please contact a local lactation consultant, La Leche League, public health nurse or your doctor.
All the best,
Sirena Van Schaik
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