Breastfeeding posture
Release time : 03/08/2025 09:30:02
Human milk is the best natural food for babies.
Breastfeeding, the first skill that a mother needs to learn is how to breastfeed.
Obstetric experts point out that the correct feeding position is one that both mother and baby feel comfortable in. However, if the feeding position is incorrect, it can cause discomfort for the baby to eat and may even lead to middle ear infections and oral diseases.
For mothers, if the wrong feeding posture is used, the mother will soon feel sore back.
These are not conducive to the persistence of breastfeeding.
The posture of feeding a newborn is very important. Breast milk is sweet and delicious, and is a favorite food for the baby.
Enough breast milk is conducive to the baby's development and growth, but if the nursing posture is inappropriate, it will not only make the baby no longer like to breastfeed, but will also cause the baby's physical discomfort and damage the baby's health.
Breast milk is the best nutritious food for your baby. In addition, incorrect breastfeeding posture can also cause some inflammation of your mother's breasts.
Correct lactation technique can prevent nipple cracking.
Because if the baby sucks improperly, it will cause nipple pain in the new mother, mastering the correct nursing posture is the key to preventing nipple pain and chaps.
Correct nursing posture, most new mothers are clumsy when feeding for the first time, and feeding itself is a hard task. If the nursing posture is not correct, it will increase the difficulty of feeding.
Here are some correct breastfeeding postures for you. Try changing them until they are comfortable.
1. Sitting feeding posture: Babies 'feeding postures vary in different periods of time. The ideal way to feed early is to feed in a sitting position.
The specific methods are as follows: ① Choose a chair with armrests, and my mother will naturally sit down and put her feet on the ground; if the position of the legs is too low, you can place a low stool on her feet to avoid causing muscle fatigue in the lower limbs.
The back of the mother should be supported by the chair back or some other support.
② Hold the child in your arms and support the child's body and head with your forearms and palms, so that the baby's body is closely attached to the mother's chest and abdomen.
Use your left hand to support the right side and your right hand to support the left side. You can also use your right hand to support the right side and your left hand to support the left side.
The hand that rests under the breast should be in a U-shape, not bent over, nor hunched, but let the child come close to your breast.
2. Cuddle Holding Position for Feeding The so-called cuddle holding position is a feeding position where the infant is held in the caregiver's side.
This position can be adopted for twin pregnancies and cesarean sections.
Put the child on your side, bend your elbows, spread your hands to hold the baby's head, and face the breast. Let the baby rest against your forearm.
To be comfortable, you could place a cushion on your legs.
Cradle-style feeding involves placing the baby in a cradled position, where they are held on one side of the mother's body. The cradle-style feeding position is when the mother lies on their side with one hand supporting the baby’s head and neck, while the other hand holds the baby’s body, and the breast is brought towards the baby's mouth.
This method is suitable for early feeding and for mothers with cesarean section.
When breastfeeding an infant in a prone position, it is necessary for family members to lift the infant onto the mother's chest and help the infant to latch onto the nipple.
The incorrect breastfeeding position. Correct and appropriate breastfeeding position is beneficial for the health development of the baby and also helps the mother's body to recover quickly.
However, many new mothers are still not accustomed to it, and their breastfeeding techniques are not standardized. This ultimately affects the physical condition of the baby, and also leads to adverse symptoms such as pain in the nipple and insufficient milk secretion in themselves.
1. Lying down to breastfeed, some mothers prefer to breastfeed their babies lying down because they think this is a comfortable and relaxed position for both mother and baby. However, this is actually an incorrect way of breastfeeding.
This feeding method is unacceptable and could result in serious consequences for the baby, including hearing loss.
2. Wrong breastfeeding position: Some mothers only rotate the baby's head while breastfeeding, without tilting the baby's entire body to the side.
This position can be very bad for babies, often causing them to suckle with difficulty and making it uncomfortable for them to eat.
3. Let your baby simply suck on the nipple. When some mothers breastfeed their babies, the baby's lower lips keep shrinking inward and can only suck up to the nipple.
Novice mothers always think that as long as their baby sucks to the nipple, they can smoothly draw out milk and open milk, but in fact this idea is wrong.
To stimulate lactation, it is essential to stimulate the ducts below the areola. Therefore, simply sucking on the nipple alone cannot stimulate lactation and may even cause discomfort such as pain in the nipple for the mother.
When breastfeeding, it is best to adopt different breastfeeding positions. 4. "Bending over" to feed the baby. Some mothers prefer to "bend over" to feed their babies. This method not only makes the baby feel uncomfortable breathing but also exhausts the mother.
When breastfeeding from a seated position, babies typically do not reach the level of the mother's chest.
If you simply use your hands to lift the baby, it can strain your back and arms.
Over time, a mother may become tired and weary of breastfeeding.
Posture Instructions for Breastfeeding: After feeding your baby, it's important to prevent them from experiencing gastroes, vomiting or coughing.
So, what should be taken into consideration when breastfeeding? Let's take a look.
1. Find a comfortable posture.
Throughout the breastfeeding process, mothers need to understand that it is essential to find a comfortable position before each feeding. Apply a warm towel to the breast and areola for 3-5 minutes to stimulate the let-down reflex, then massage the breast to facilitate milk flow. Once the areola softens, it becomes easier for the baby to suckle.
Use the less painful breast to breast feed, inserting most of the nipple and areola into the baby's mouth.
2. Do not force the baby to stop nursing.
If you need to stop feeding, gently press your finger against the baby's lower jaw to dislodge the nipple. Do not forcibly pull it out; doing so could damage the nipple.
If the nipple is cracked, take some of the milk from the breast and apply it to the nipples and areola with a dry cloth.
If the pain of nipples is severe and unbearable, one can temporarily stop self-feeding and use a breast pump to collect milk, allowing family members to participate in feeding the baby so that the baby can continue to enjoy breast milk.
3. Pay attention to changing postures.
When breastfeeding, it is best to use different nursing positions, as mothers should feed the baby in different ways each meal, helping the baby to extract milk from different parts of the breast.
You can also have your baby's chin directly against the lumpy part, helping to block the milk from coming out.
In breastfeeding, it is best to change various positions of breastfeeding to benefit the care of the breast.
4. Don't let infants chew on the breast while sleeping.
Letting an infant nurse on their breast or bottle is not only unsanitary, but also poses a risk of choking and vomiting. Moreover, it can affect the development of the baby's teeth and cause deformities.
Medical information in this text is for reference only.
In case of discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention promptly. The diagnosis and treatment should be based on the clinical examination conducted by a doctor in person.