Correct attachment of the baby to the breast is the first thing new mothers begin to learn. This is a very important skill that, despite its seeming simplicity, not everyone can master at once.
Mom breastfeeds the baby
Breast attachment techniques
At first glance, breastfeeding is a simple task: you just have to attach the baby and that's it. Theoretically, it is so - you do not need to heat the water, as for the mixture, to disinfect the bottle. In practice, mothers face a problem - they need to learn how to feed their baby.
If you do everything wrong, it threatens the following:
- Mom's injuries, such as cracks in the nipple. This leads to severe pain as well as lactostasis;
- Severe colic in the child, as he will swallow air.
All this leads to the abandonment of natural feeding in favor of artificial. Formulas, although adapted for children, still lose to breast milk in terms of benefits.
To avoid unpleasant consequences, it is important to follow several rules:
- The baby's head and torso should be at the same level. The kid should not reach out, throw his head back, turn it.
- When applied, the nipple should not look directly at the child, but should be directed slightly upward, towards the nose. Mom does not need to bend over, she must keep her back straight.
- The mouth of the newborn is wide open during feeding. This way he will be able to capture the entire areola, and not just the protruding tip of the nipple. If the baby itself does not open its mouth well, you need to easily press on its chin, prompting what needs to be done.
- When the little person's mouth is wide open, you need to quickly put the nipple into it and squeeze the baby quite tightly to you.
- This is where the correct attachment of the child ends, you can relax - then he will eat himself.
How to properly latch on a baby
Note! Usually, when the baby bites, he will release the breast from his mouth himself.
If for some reason it is necessary to interrupt the feeding, you cannot pull the nipple out of the little mouth - this can cause injury to the mother. You need to put the little finger behind the baby's cheek, pull it back a little, and only then carefully pick up the breast.
Poses and positions
If a mother asks herself how to properly apply the baby to the breast: whether it is necessary to stand, sit or lie down, then she should know that all of the above is allowed. The parent chooses the pose herself, depending on her own convenience and the comfort of the baby.
Sitting
This is the most common position. Mom either holds the child in her arms, or puts a pillow on her knees, on which the baby lies on her side. This gives the baby a breast. Moreover, there can be several poses:
- Under the breast. The child's torso lies at the mother's belly.
- From under the arm. The method is often used by moms of twins. The kids are on both sides of the parent, under the arms.
Hand feeding twins
Older children can sit on their knees with their mother (facing her) and attach themselves like this.
Lying
This is the second most common position. It is often used during nighttime feedings. Mom sits on her side, in front of her at the chest is a child. The parent gives him the breast on the side on which it lies. You can also give the top one, but, as a rule, it is more inconvenient.
Also, the mother can lie on her back (it is desirable that the head and shoulders are slightly raised) and apply the baby to the breast in this position. Then the child is placed in a belly-to-belly position. This position is also not considered comfortable for very young children, it is designed for older kids.
Standing
Rarely used position. Here, the same postures are most often used as when feeding while standing. The baby is kept in the cradle and so is applied to the chest. A newborn, while it weighs a little, and can be held on one hand, you can feed from under it.
Feeding while standing
Important! There is no single correct feeding position. If the baby is attached to the breast correctly, you can feed as you like. The change of position is often resorted to during lactostasis - milk stagnation. The baby's chin is actively moving and “breaks” the lump.
Signs of correct attachment
If a mother is just figuring out how to properly attach her baby to the breast, she should know a number of signs that show whether everything is correct. It:
- Baby's cheeks are relaxed, rounded, mouth wide open;
- The lips are slightly turned outward (the degree of eversion is different: from imperceptible to strong);
- The baby's chin is pressed against the mother's chest;
- The areola of the nipple is completely (or almost completely) hidden in the baby's mouth;
- Mom does not experience discomfort, pain;
- While the baby is eating, there are no extraneous sounds.
Signs of violations
At first glance, it is difficult to determine if everything is in order. Therefore, you need to know the signs that clearly indicate that something is going wrong:
- The baby does not grab the areola, presses with gums, chews only the nipple;
- The mouth is not wide open, the lips are rolled inward, and the cheeks are drawn in;
- Mom is in great pain;
- Smacking, tapping is heard.
Comparison of correct and incorrect attachments
If there is something like that, you need to interrupt and give the breast again, trying to do it right.
Baby behavior during feeding
A small person after his birth is controlled by reflexes. It is thanks to them that the newborn already knows how to eat and makes attempts to find his mother's breast. For example, near her, the baby usually opens its mouth wide and begins to move its head to the left and right a little. This is called search behavior.
Doctors insist that a child naturally knows how to apply correctly. Rather, everything depends on the adult, in whom this action is not conditioned by reflexes. Therefore, you have to spend some time learning. Statistics say that only 30% of mothers from the first day attach babies to their breasts correctly.
If mom hurts
Pain is one of the signs of improper attachment to the chest. It is important to note that it can also be the norm.
The fact is that a woman's nipple area is very sensitive and delicate. Sucking milk from it is an active process that combines friction, stretching, and local high pressure. It all hurts. Therefore, the first month, while lactation is just establishing, discomfort during feeding can haunt the mother. When the nipples get rough, it won't hurt. She must definitely pay attention to the signs of the norm:
- There is pain only at the beginning, when applied. After adaptation, the feeding itself passes without discomfort;
- The chest must be intact.
If the discomfort is constant, that is, both during the attachment itself and during feeding, then this is a sure sign that everything is going wrong. You should stop immediately and try to attach the baby correctly. Otherwise, the chest is injured.
A crack or callus is the result of improper attachment. Moreover, the first brings more discomfort than the second - it causes acute pain and blood. In this case, it is better for the mother to use special pads that will protect the injured area from physical impact until complete healing, and learn to apply the baby to the breast correctly. If you cannot master the skill on your own, you should resort to the help of a GW consultant. It can be found in a special organization - AKEV. They can also advise on breastfeeding.
An example of silicone breast pads from Avent
How to prepare for feeding
You can only learn to breastfeed in practice. The theory stored before childbirth helps a lot. In addition to mastering the provisions and rules themselves, you can resort to the following tips:
- Start using lanolin in the nipple area from 30-35 weeks of gestation, twice every day. It thickens the skin, reducing the risk of cracking. Lanolin is also recommended after childbirth between feedings. It is not required to wash it off, like bepanten (also often recommended for these purposes).
- Try to avoid bottles and pacifiers, at least until fully mastered the skill of applying. This is because the baby sucks the nipple differently, it is easier for him to do it, which can cause violations.
Breastfeeding is a natural process. It is very important to learn it correctly. Then feeding will benefit the baby and the mother's pleasure.
