Technique for putting the baby to the breast. Washing the breast before each feeding. Women wash their breasts with soap before giving it to the baby. How to understand if the baby has enough milk and if he is full

Why, in fact, asymmetric? The child expresses milk from the breast with wave-like movements of the tongue. All moving, "working" parts of the mouth (tongue, lower jaw) are located below. Therefore, it is very important that as much of the areola as possible gets into the child's mouth from the side of the lower jaw. Due to this asymmetry of the baby's mouth, good attachment will also be asymmetrical.

Comfortable, painless feeding, the absence of cracks, weight gain, and the amount of milk depend on how the baby takes the breast, how deep the nipple and areola (dark areola) will be in his mouth. Incorrect attachment can be one of the causes of milk stasis and mastitis.
Everyone knows that it is necessary to give the breast deeper. How to put it into practice? Well, sometimes it's enough to aim the nipple at the top of the baby's mouth, already wide open and searching, and just pull the baby closer to you at that moment.

Oops done! Like this (by clicking on the picture, you can view the animation of the correct application, both in more or less real time, and step by step):

And why so much noise around this application?

Yes, for some couples it comes naturally, but sometimes it takes more work and more detailed instructions. If at first something doesn’t go well, it’s not the fault of the mother and the child: many different factors can be involved here, you can write a separate article. Don't be discouraged if success is unstable at first - one feeding is better, the other worse. Over time, it will become easier to apply, you and the baby will adapt to each other, the baby’s nervous system will become a little more mature, the mouth will grow even Try to find help on the spot so that someone who understands application looks at you if you feel that absentee instructions are not enough .

Let's see in detail, step by step, what needs to be done.

First, in order for attachment to work, it is necessary that the child's mouth be very wide open as when yawning. How to make it open wider? Let's check for ourselves in which position it is more convenient for the child to open his mouth:

Tilt your head slightly forward. Try to open your mouth wide. Inconvenient, right? Note the position of the tongue - it has risen and is far behind the gums. And for breast sucking, it is necessary that the tongue be above the lower gum, covering it from above and covering the chest.
Now let's imagine that we need to bite an apple hanging at the level of our nose: slightly raise our head Notice how wide it turned out to open our mouth. And with the protrusion of the tongue no problem. Make sure your baby is in such a position that he can straighten his neck and open his mouth wide. Do not put pressure on the back of his head, give support to the back and neck.

Another very important note: it is best to attach a calm child, not to wait for him to cry for feeding. It is more convenient for any person, even the smallest one, to concentrate and do his work efficiently when he is in a good mood.

So, let's get started!

Starting position: the child is located very close to the chest, the nipple is directed towards him spout. If you point the nipple directly into the mouth, there is a risk that the baby's jaws will close too close to the nipple, and the mother may be hurt. We already have a chest for a comfortable grip, if necessary.

Ready to eat, the child himself turns his head from side to side, opens his mouth and lowers his tongue to the lower gum. If the mouth is not torn to open, you can draw the lower part of the areola along its lips. Why not nipple? If a child takes the breast without problems, in general, it doesn’t matter what and how to carry it out, but if he is inclined to draw everything that concerns sponges into a half-closed mouth, you may not have time a nimble baby will instantly suck the tip of the nipple, which can be very unpleasant. In the starting position, the baby's lower lip is already positioned where it will be during feeding - note the orange dot.

We support the child so that the base of his head and shoulders rest on his mother's palm. Mom's hand should not put pressure on the back of the head. It is important to give a good support to the baby's body so that it is comfortable for him to suck, press him tightly to himself, tummy to his stomach. If you need to give the breast "sighting", it is convenient to do this in the positions "from the armpit" or the cross cradle. In this position, the mother’s hand, as it were, forms a “second neck” for the child, the palm supports the neck area and between the shoulder blades, the thumb is located under the upper ear, the index and the rest under the lower one.

The baby opens its mouth wide (the tongue is lowered on
lower gum), his head leans back slightly. Mom brings him closer to her chest and rolls the nipple and areola into her mouth. You can help this movement a little with your thumb: moving forward, as if smoothing the nipple so that it falls into place in the mouth. This can be especially relevant for flat or vice versa for large nipples.

I remind you that the lower lip already stands in place. We are not moving the whole baby up to the nipple. Upper lip is the last

Not breast to child, but child to breast: the direction of the child's oncoming movement (mother's hand, which gives support to the neck, shoulders and shoulder blades) orange arrow. This is our main movement, we do not push the breast into the mouth, we do not pursue the child with it :), but simply press the baby, ready to take the breast, closer to us, serve and help to take it.

The lower lip is bent during the capture of the breast, the tongue lies on top of the gums.

Now the baby has a chest deep in the mouth, the nipple is there, inside
three, touches the boundary of the hard and soft palate. Note that the areola is deeper in the mouth from below than from above. The child is so tightly pressed to the mother that only the cheek, tightly pressed to the chest, can be seen from above. If you slightly move the baby away from the chest for a second, it will become noticeable that his lips are deployed, the lower lip is completely bent. the angle between the upper and lower lip is not less than 140°. And if you are completely curious, and gently move the corner of your mouth, you will see a tongue covering the chest.

When a baby suckles properly, his cheeks are puffed out, not retracted. The chin rests deeply on the mother's chest. The nose can either be to the side or lightly touch the chest. In this case, the baby still breathes successfully, through small triangular slits between the chest and the wings of the nose. If the baby strongly rests on his nose and it is still uncomfortable for him to breathe - most likely, his chin is not close enough to his mother's chest, and his head is tilted forward. In this case, you do not need to make a hole in the chest with your finger, you need to move the entire baby back, in the direction of his legs and press it closer to you. His neck will straighten, his chin will rest deeper on his chest, and his nose will be released. If you feel that the baby did not take the breast deep, it is better to carefully take the breast from him (opening the gums with your finger so as not to damage the nipple), and attach it again.

Lactation experts say that the correct technique for attaching a baby to the breast is half the battle. And millions of women who have gone through the difficulties of feeding will agree with them. Only with a properly organized process, breastfeeding will bring pleasure and benefit to both mother and baby.

Despite the large number of doctors who position themselves as lactation management professionals, very often young mothers have many problems with their own health and the health of the child due to the improperly organized process of attachment and breastfeeding. Simple recommendations will help to correct the situation.

Breastfeeding - step by step instructions

Some breastfeeding experts advise the mother herself to undress to the waist during feeding, and also undress the baby to stimulate lactation. It is worth mentioning here that the skin-to-skin principle only works in a cool room. It is not uncommon for children born in the summer to suffer from prickly heat, and long-term contact leads to severe overheating of the baby and worsening of the situation.

How to understand that feeding is organized incorrectly

There are several signs of inappropriate breastfeeding.

What to do if you find an incorrect breast latch

If the fears are confirmed, and the baby really does not grasp the breast correctly, your patience and perseverance will be needed. In this case, it is necessary to prevent a recurrence of the situation. When you see that the capture is incorrect, you can’t feed “just to eat”, but you need to take the following measures:

gently take the breast from the baby. To do this, gently insert the little finger of a clean (!) Hand into the corner of the child’s mouth and at the moment when milk is not directly drawn in, pull out the nipple;
give the breast to the baby again, but if necessary, take it away - and so on until the capture becomes true.

It is also important to remove breast substitutes. The mechanism of sucking on the nipple and the mammary gland is different, and a small child after a bottle or pacifier will take the nipple as a nipple. Therefore, the first thing to do is to leave the only way to get milk - the mother's breast.

This also applies to overlays: despite the fact that the child sucks at the breast, he does it according to the pacifier technique.

Postures for feeding and conditions for their use

Depending on her physical condition, comfort, as well as the characteristics of the crumbs, the mother chooses the feeding position that is suitable for herself.

Standing and sitting postures

The cradle is a classic position. It is he who is taught in maternity hospitals, so this is, as a rule, the first position mastered by a woman. In this position, the child's head is located on the bend of the mother's elbow with one hand, and with the other she clasps and supports his back. The baby presses his tummy against the mother's stomach, his nose is opposite the nipple.

The cradle position is perfect if the baby is crying, acting up, because it allows you to feed while standing, walking around the room, rocking the baby.

The cradle is a classic feeding position that allows you to rock your baby at the same time.

A variation of this pose is the cross cradle. Its difference is that the head of the child lies on the opposite hand. This position is suitable when the process of feeding is being established - it is easier for the mother to direct the head to the chest with the palm of her hand.

The cross cradle allows you to guide the baby's head, ensuring the correct grip

The hip position is suitable when the baby has already grown up and is actively interested in the outside world. Such children in the cradle constantly turn their heads, which interferes with suckling, so mothers choose a more comfortable position that gives the child the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity. During feeding, it is desirable to support the breast so that the baby does not stop eating.

Feeding on the thigh is suitable for older curious babies

Reclining positions

Underarm posture (or ball grip) is optimal when:

a caesarean section was performed;
mother has a magnificent breast (it is convenient to adjust the position of the areola);
the woman has flat nipples (allows the baby to latch on easier).

To feed in this position, a woman arranges a pillow under her elbow (preferably an orthopedic one, but any one that is sufficiently elastic will do), lowers the baby onto it, takes her legs behind her back, and puts her head in her palm. At the same time, it is important not to push the crumbs to the chest, otherwise the child will be uncomfortable feeding.

From under the arm it is convenient to feed with large breasts, after a caesarean section and in case of inverted nipples

For those women who are concerned about strong tides, when the baby chokes and throws the breast, the position of the baby on the mother is suitable. Due to the action of gravity, the milk does not spurt out with such a strong stream as in classical poses, which allows the baby to extract it on its own. Also, this position will help out with older babies who are already rolling over on their tummy, since it is easier for them to endure colic.

Baby on mom - a pose that will reduce the flow of milk during high tide

Feeding while lying down

The arm rest position is often practiced when sleeping with a baby, as it allows you to feed without getting out of bed. In this position, mother and baby lie face to face on their side. With this, the head of the baby is on the shoulder or in the elbow bend of the woman, and with her hand she hugs her child. If the baby is a newborn, it is placed on a small pillow to make it easier to reach the chest. As you grow older, the support can be removed, the need for it disappears.

Lying on the arm is prohibited if the child is diagnosed with torticollis, as it can exacerbate the problem.

Lying on the arm is convenient to feed for those who practice co-sleeping with a child

A variant of the lying position is lying from the upper chest. It is used when it is necessary to alternate the mammary glands, but for some reason a woman cannot change the position. Here a pillow is necessary, otherwise the baby simply will not reach. In this case, the mother's hands are freed, she can either hold her head or the baby by the back of the head, controlling the capture of the nipple and areola.

Lying from the upper breast, you can feed if you need a change of breast

In any case, the considered poses are only the base. Each woman can modify them so that feeding is not only useful, but also a comfortable process.

Poses for lactostasis

With congestion in the chest, feeding plays a key role. Never express milk with a breast pump or with your hands the way a child does. To make breastfeeding therapeutic, it is important to know the basic principles and postures that help get rid of congestion. At the same time, it is imperative to remember that when the nutrient fluid quickly leaves one lobe, it arrives again just as actively. That is, a variety of positions must be practiced constantly, a one-time application will only aggravate the situation.

When choosing a position to get rid of lactostasis, remember that the child is actively extracting milk from those segments where his chin is looking. For example, to empty the left lower part of the chest, the cradle position is suitable, and in order for the baby to eat well from the right lower lobe, give preference to the semi-lying position from under the arm.

The jack pose is a variation of the under-hand position, which will allow you to remove congestion in the upper lobes. The child is located on its side, the chin is directed towards lactostasis. You can use a pillow, fixing the position of the baby.

Feeding with a jack will relieve lactostasis in the upper breast segments

The pose of hanging over the child is universal, because it will help in all cases of lactostasis. It is also the least comfortable, since the mother has to do the support on her hands. When feeding in this position, the woman is on all fours over the baby, lying on the pillow. It is important in this case to place the baby not on the back, but a little on the side, this will prevent choking.

Hanging over the baby will not work if the mother has severe hot flashes, as gravity will increase the flow of milk.

Hanging over a child - first aid in the fight against lactostasis

Video - feeding positions, how to avoid mistakes

Breast compression method - technique, purpose, application

The breast compression method is a mechanical method of influencing the mammary glands in order to increase the release of milk. First of all, it is necessary at the very beginning of lactation (the first two or three days after childbirth), when it is necessary to stimulate the production of colostrum for the newborn. At the same time, in case of proper attachment and if the baby sucks well, compression should not be carried out.

When Not to Use the Breast Compression Method:

if the child is actively breastfeeding and full;
if sucking is complete, it clearly alternates with swallowing.

The chest compression method should be used in the following cases:

during feeding, sucking movements are heard, but there are no swallowing movements, i.e. the child uses the mammary gland as a nipple;
low weight gain in the baby;
the baby falls asleep without having time to suck out the milk;
the baby constantly asks for breasts, sucks for a long time - more than half an hour, but sluggishly;
lactating milk is ejected from the ducts very slowly;
the mother is diagnosed with insufficient lactation;
regularly recurrent lactostasis is observed.

Step by step description of the method.

Sit comfortably, arrange the baby so that you can hold him with one hand.
With your free hand, grasp the breast as far away from the areola as possible so that the thumb is on the inside of the chest, and the rest on the outside.
The moment you notice that the baby is sucking at the breast without swallowing, like a pacifier, smoothly squeeze your fingers and hold them. The correctness of the procedure is indicated by the absence of pain and the unchanged shape of the mammary gland near the mouth of the crumbs.
Make sure your baby starts sucking and swallowing milk.
Leave the chest in a compressed position until the baby stops swallowing, then relax the hand.
Do not be alarmed if, after loosening the grip, the baby stops sucking: he will start again when you squeeze the breast, as he will feel his native taste. The break in contraction allows milk to flow from the ducts into the baby's mouth.
After a short rest, proceed to the next compression and continue it until the baby stops swallowing.
After releasing the breast, do not immediately put the baby to bed - give him a little time to stay near the nipple, this will contribute to the milk ejection reflex. It is desirable that the baby himself released the mammary gland from the mouth.
If you notice that the baby has not eaten, change breasts and perform the compression procedure again. This can be done several times during one feeding.
Do not forget to control the correct capture of the breast by the baby.
Remember that this technique is a temporary measure. Once breastfeeding is established, switch to regular feeding.

As an experienced pediatrician, Dr. E. O. Komarovsky has his own opinion about the organization of breastfeeding.

Can you imagine your wedding night surrounded by a crowd of mentors? With difficulty, really. But most people cope quite well with the task, guided by the instinct of procreation. With breastfeeding, the situation is similar, but few people manage to calmly realize their instincts. And no wonder. When you are told in detail about how to feed your baby correctly - how to sit (lie down), how to support the breast, how to put the nipple in the baby’s mouth, how to follow his nose, then, I dare to assure you, at least something you will definitely do wrong . And the Teachers will patiently instruct you on the true path, giving dozens of valuable indications. And it is very likely that, in the end, you will be convinced of your own inferiority, and breastfeeding will turn into torture for both you and the child.

Komarovsky E. O.
"The Beginning of Your Child's Life"

Evgeny Olegovich gives wonderful recommendations to young mothers:

in the first weeks of lactation, be alone during feeding;
ensure the position so that both you and the child are comfortable - even sitting, even lying down;
do not dwell on the size and density of the breast, it may be soft, but there will be more than enough milk;
do not attach fundamental importance to the shape of the nipple: with active and prolonged feeding, it acquires the desired shape.

Establishing the right breastfeeding technique is not an easy process, but it can be done. You can choose any position from the known ones or create your own, convenient for you. But remember, breastfeeding should be fun. And to create all the conditions for this in your power.

Most mothers try breastfeeding while in the hospital. It is advisable to give the baby a breast in the first 60 minutes after birth. Experienced midwives help to attach the baby, talk about the features of feeding. If you did not immediately figure out how to properly feed a newborn with breast milk, there is nothing to worry about. Breastfeeding can be mastered with simple tips.

Before putting a newborn to the breast for the first time, you need to find a position in which you can spend half an hour without discomfort. You have 3 options:

sitting;
standing;
lying on your side.

Most women choose a lying position for the first feeding, since after childbirth it is almost impossible to stay upright for a long time. Until full recovery, it is necessary to feed the child, lying on his side, in order to protect himself from discomfort. If you chose this option, then check out how to properly apply a newborn for feeding while lying on your side:

Release your chest on the side you are lying on.
Lay the baby with his stomach towards you so that his head is against his chest.
Bring the nipple to the baby's mouth, he will immediately try to take it. When sucking, the entire areola should be in the baby's mouth, which means that its capture is done correctly.

The sitting position is comfortable. This position allows mothers to breastfeed two babies at the same time. In the hospital, this position can be uncomfortable, since on the bed you will have to keep your hands on weight, and there will be no support for the back. If you have a spacious chair at home, then feed the baby while sitting in it, placing your hands on the armrest.

Sitting, two babies can be fed at the same time, placing them on a special pillow in the “out of hand” position.

The standing pose is rarely used, as it puts too much stress on the spine and arms. It is used only by women who, after natural childbirth, had sutures in the perineum. They need to lean on the table to reduce the load on the spine and legs. At the first opportunity, the position is changed. It is also recommended when the baby does not properly latch onto the breast while lying on a bed that is too soft or uncomfortable.

Provides a rush of milk light massage of the mammary gland in a circular motion.

Breastfeeding experts offer some tips on how to properly breastfeed your baby:

place it on its side facing you;
the chin and cheeks should be pressed to the chest, and there must be free space between the gland and the nose;
bring the nipple to the newborn - he will take it himself;
there should be no pulling sensations (their appearance means that the baby is too low);
if there is a nipple without an areola in the newborn's mouth, immediately release the breast (gently press the little finger on the corner of the baby's mouth, straighten the breast and offer it to the newborn again).

Evaluate the result: if the baby has enough air, and he correctly grabbed the nipple, leave it until he is full. The first seconds of feeding can cause discomfort in a young mother due to the fact that the skin on the nipples is not yet coarsened enough. Until this happens, the woman will be in pain at the moment of catching the nipple. The application is done correctly if there is no discomfort. When feeding, only swallowing of the baby should be heard.

Learn how to properly latch your baby to the breast beforehand, as mistakes in this process can lead to:

the capture of a crumb of air;
colic in a baby;
the appearance of cracks in the nipples;
milk duct injury.

If you feel pain during the entire feeding session, then the cause is often an incorrect grip on the areola. The baby's lips should be located on its edge.

During one feeding, do not give a second breast. Ideally, each time you need to offer the crumbs a different mammary gland. If you follow this rule, then the baby is guaranteed to eat the fore and hind milk, which will allow him to eat fully and balanced, get a full set of vitamins, useful trace elements.

There is an exception to the rule of using one breast per application. They can be neglected if there is not enough milk produced.

How to understand that the baby is full?

In addition to knowing how to properly attach a baby to the breast, mothers need to get information about the signs of satiety crumbs. After all, it is very easy to overfeed a baby, for whom every feeding session is an opportunity to feel the protection and support of the mother.

The baby is full if he:

behaves calmly;
cheerful after the completion of the process;
gaining sufficient weight according to WHO standards;
independently released the chest;
after feeding, falls asleep soundly or moves on to active activities.

If the newborn is often naughty, worried, crying, then before giving him both breasts for one feeding, it is necessary to carry out a control weighing. It is held once a week. If at the end of the seven-day period the weight of the child has become higher, it is necessary to look for another reason for crying.

Signs of overeating are:

regurgitation after feeding;
rapid weight gain in excess of established norms;
increased gas formation, leading to colic and abdominal pain.

Regurgitation can be a sign of a neurological disorder, so it is important to monitor the child's health and visit doctors in a timely manner. If your pediatrician notices signs of overeating in your baby, release the nipple 15-20 minutes after the start of feeding. When overeating, do not try to reduce lactation, this often leads to its complete loss.

Baby feeding time

The question of the time of each meal cannot be solved unambiguously. The duration of one feeding session depends on the individual characteristics of the child. Some babies eat actively and quickly, so they only need 10 minutes to saturate. Other kids enjoy the process for a long time, they need more than 40 minutes. In the first month of life, you should not interrupt feeding on your own. Gradually, the newborn will adjust the duration of sucking.

Experts consider a feeding session lasting up to 30 minutes to be correct. It can last longer if the baby is premature or weakened. If the baby fell asleep with a breast in his mouth, then you just need to release the nipple and transfer it to the crib. For newborns, sleep after feeding is considered the norm.

If you are interested in the total duration of the GW, then it is selected individually. It is worth stopping feeding after a year. After the first 6 months of life, you can gradually replace feeding with complementary foods, which will prepare the baby's digestive system for normal food intake, and the mother will gradually reduce lactation.

It is important not only to know how to breastfeed, but also to learn how to respect the time intervals. Doctors recommend applying crumbs by the hour, but it is best to do this on demand. Breaks can be from 15 minutes to 2 hours, and during a night's sleep, the interval increases. If the baby is calm, the chest does not require, then after 3-4 hours it is worth offering him a refreshment on his own. Don't wake the baby up to breastfeed him. A well-fed baby will not sleep peacefully, he will demand food on his own.

What can't be done?

Just because you know how to breastfeed your baby doesn't mean you don't have other questions. The process of breastfeeding is very complicated, and young mothers often make mistakes that negatively affect the lactation process.

Another mistake is frequent weighing. If the baby is slowly gaining weight, then the mother begins to give him an artificial mixture. It acts as an additional nutrition or completely replaces natural nutrition. Find out the child's body weight no more than 4 times a month, then you will be able to objectively assess the changes.

Solving difficult situations

Before you properly attach the baby to the breast, you need to prepare for possible problems with lactation.

Small inverted nipples usually change their shape by childbirth. If this does not happen, then you can change the position for feeding, stretch the flat nipple yourself, apply silicone pads. Many believe that a small tight chest can become an obstacle. This is not a problem: it is enough to express for 1-2 weeks so that the baby can get his own food. The mammary glands during lactation can increase by 1-2 sizes - just a couple of weeks after childbirth, small breasts will change, it will be convenient to feed them.

Before childbirth, you should not solve the problem with excessively tight breasts and improper nipple anatomy, since touching the breasts can trigger the production of the hormone oxytocin.

Cracks are not a reason to refuse natural feeding. Before they heal, use silicone pads for feeding, and between applications, make applications with Bepanthen ointment, and take air baths. Make sure that the medicinal composition does not get into the child's mouth. Sometimes, in order to get rid of cracks, you need to learn again how to properly breastfeed, since improper capture of the areola leads to nipple injuries.

In the first 3 months after the start of lactation, every young mother is faced with the problem of arbitrary leakage of milk. Any woman will not like to walk around with milk stains on clothes in the chest area, so use special disposable pads that fit into a bra.

Breast engorgement can be saved by more frequent breastfeeding or pumping. Take a warm shower before feeding, do a light massage. From folk remedies, you can use cabbage leaf compresses. After feeding, apply a cold compress to relieve swelling.

Lactation crises do not mean that it is time to finish feeding the crumbs. There is less milk, but this situation can be overcome: drink tea with cumin and fennel, eat right, and rest. During the first year of a baby's life, you will experience crises at least 3 times.

Mothers often self-program themselves for failure. It should be understood that feeding is a natural process that is available to every woman after childbirth. Do not neglect it, even if you want to quickly restore the figure. Losing weight can be combined with feeding crumbs. Do not use diets: the diet of a nursing mother should be complete. Only sweets, products with chemical dyes and those that can cause an allergic reaction in a child should be excluded from it. If you are used to making a menu for yourself, keep in mind that its calorie content should slightly exceed the norm for adult women. The diet must include fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.

Hello! Today, the promised topic is about the correct attachment to the breast. Let's try to understand the main points.

The baby spends a lot of time at his mother's breast, because for him this is the most beloved and reliable place in the world, where he finds not only food, but also comfort, protection, comfort and warmth. It is vital for a baby to be sure that his mother is nearby and will help him immediately, because he receives confirmation of this through close contact with his mother. Breastfeeding helps him cope with any discomfort: hunger, fear, digestive difficulties. How to apply the child correctly?

For some mother-baby couples, proper breastfeeding comes naturally, while others need more time for such training. Don't worry if things don't work out right away. After a while, it will become easier to apply, it will be possible to adapt to each other, the baby's nervous system will mature, the mouth will grow up. You can ask for help from familiar mothers with successful experience in establishing breastfeeding.

Everyone already knows for sure that it is important to apply deeper to the chest. But how to do it practically? And what to do if it is easy and simply does not work?

Initially, the baby is pressed to the breast, the nipple is directed to the nose, and not directly into the mouth. If directed directly into the mouth, the baby's jaws can quickly close on the nipple, causing significant pain to the mother.
If you imagine that you want to bite an apple hanging at eye level, then you need to slightly raise your head. In this case, it is possible to open the mouth very wide. It is also important for the baby to ensure a similar position so that it is possible to straighten the neck and open the mouth wide. It is also necessary to give support for the back and neck, without pressing on the back of the head.
The direction of movement of the baby should be according to the rule - not breast to child, but child to breast. It turns out that by simply holding the baby tightly to herself, the mother helps to take the breast, and does not push it into her mouth.
When a baby has a breast deep in the mouth, inside the nipple is located on the border of the hard and soft palate.
If the baby has taken the breast shallowly, and the mother feels pain, then it is better to gently release the breast, opening the baby's gums with the little finger, and try to attach it again.

2. Signs of proper attachment

By these signs, you can determine whether you are applying the baby correctly:

Mom does not hurt during application.
Both sponges crumbs turned outward, like a duck.
The mouth is wide open, and most of the areola is deep inside.
The chin is pressed to the chest, the baby breathes calmly through small slits between the wings of the nose and the chest.
You can often see the tongue located on the lower lip.
The baby's cheeks are not retracted, but inflated.
The ears move due to rather strong sucking movements.
There are no smacking sounds, only swallowing sounds.
After application, the nipple is elongated and of the correct cylindrical shape, not beveled like lipstick, and not flattened.

3. Possible Consequences of Improper Breast Latching

If applied incorrectly, the following unpleasant consequences are possible:

Injuries or cracks in the nipples if the baby slides onto the nipple.
Incomplete release of the breast can lead to lactostasis, milk stasis or mastitis.
Insufficient weight gain due to inefficient suction of milk.
Decrease in the amount of milk due to insufficient stimulation of lactation.

4. Basic provisions for feeding

A comfortable position helps the mother to relax, relieves back numbness and arm fatigue, and also contributes to the effective sucking of milk by the baby. If the mother is relaxed, the milk flow is easier.

If the baby is comfortable, then he captures better and holds the breast more correctly during the entire feeding, respectively, effectively sucks out milk and stimulates lactation in a qualitative way.

In the photo there are three main provisions that it would be good for every mother to learn:

4.1. Cradle position

This classic pose is one of the most used. To do this, you should comfortably sit in a chair with armrests or on a sofa, surrounded by pillows. Mom puts the baby's head in the crook of her arm. And with the other hand, he supports the chest from below, while the thumb and palm are located in the letter C. Then he brings the hand with the baby to the chest. At the same time, the child’s head is slightly thrown back, and the chin is pressed against the chest, and not the nose. That gives the baby the opportunity to deeply and efficiently capture the breast.

It is important that you have the opportunity to lie down on pillows or armrests, otherwise your hands get tired very quickly. In addition, you can put your feet on an ottoman or chair. During feeding, you should not lean forward, otherwise the neck will quickly become numb and the back will get tired. For convenience, you can put the crumbs on your knees or put a pillow under it.

4.2. Side lying position

When using the “lying on your side” position, you get a good rest. At night, you will be able to sleep better if the baby sleeps with mom together.

In this position, the baby's body is located on the mother's hand, and the mouth is just at the level of the nipple.

It is important that the ear, shoulder and thigh are in line, and the tummy is pressed against the mother's stomach, the mouth is opposite the chest. With her free hand, mom can give her breast to the baby. The pillow is best placed on the shoulder, so the head will be more comfortable.

It is more convenient for the baby to lie on his side, otherwise, lying on his back with his head turned to his chest, it will be inconvenient for him to suck out milk and swallow. A flat pillow can be placed under the baby to raise him to chest level if necessary. It is better for mom not to lean on her elbow and not to hang over the child, because this is very uncomfortable and quickly tires.

4.3. Underhand position

Another position in which the correct application of the baby is best obtained is the position “from under the arm”.

In it, the baby is located on the side of the mother: the head is next to the armpit, and the whole body is located behind the back.

It is quite convenient for the mother to guide the baby's head, achieving a very deep and high-quality breast capture.

At the same time, the baby in this position effectively empties those lobes of the chest located closer to the armpit.

Therefore, this position is useful for the prevention of milk stagnation in this sector of the breast. The arm position is often used by mothers after a caesarean section, because the baby does not put pressure on the mother's postoperative abdomen.

Of course, it is better to feed a calm baby. After all, it is important for even the smallest person to concentrate well and work efficiently if he is in a good and calm mood.

If the baby is not able to open his mouth wide and tuck the bottom lip out, you can use the “lip flick” technique. At the very moment of grabbing the chest, you need to slightly press your finger on the chin. This helps to turn the bottom lip forward for effective suckling.

The baby sucks out breast milk with wave-like movements of the tongue. It is very important that more areolas get into the child's mouth from below than from above. Because just the tongue and the lower jaw are actively working from below.

The body of the child is not curved - the nose, tummy and knees of the baby are located on the same line.

Every mother and baby develops their favorite feeding positions over time. Some are comfortable in any position, others choose for themselves only one or two. It is important that the baby most actively sucks out those breast lobules where the tongue and chin are directed.

If you apply the child in different positions, this will be the prevention of lactostasis or milk stasis, because all the lobules of the mammary gland are evenly emptied.

First, you will have to pay more attention to the correct application and learn the basic positions when feeding. After a while, everything will happen by itself, mom will not even think about attachment or the correct position. Usually, the awkward movements of mother and baby from the very beginning gradually turn into a well-coordinated mechanism of experienced and well-feeling people.

You can watch a video on how to properly breastfeed your baby here:

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Breastfeeding, how to organize

Proper attachment of the baby to the breast. What it is?

When I start talking about the correct and incorrect attachment of the child to the breast, I often hear the following phrase: “What do you mean? Is it possible to suckle the breast incorrectly? Most often I hear this question from healthcare workers. This was especially frustrating for me at the beginning of my career as a breastfeeding consultant, when I heard this phrase from the medical staff of the maternity hospital ...

Breastfeeding is a very delicate thing.

20-30 minutes after birth, the newborn has a desire to suck, he begins to look for the breast, opens his mouth, makes nodding movements with his head, tries to crawl towards the nipple. And at these moments, when the instinctive sucking activity of the child has not yet been spoiled by anything, only 30% of children correctly grasp the breast and begin to suckle productively!

The rest need to be corrected, helped, breastfeed several times before the attempt can be called successful. In most Russian maternity hospitals, no one puts the baby in after the relaxation phase. No one waits for the baby to come to his senses and show search activity. Immediately after birth, the baby's umbilical cord is cut, shown to the mother, and taken away for "processing".

In the best case, the baby will see his mother in 2 hours, and most likely in 6-12 hours. Mom 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 1-2 times water or mixture from the nipple. This is called pre-breastfeeding and leads to the formation of the habit of sucking on the nipple instead of the breast.

Doctors and nurses usually protest and say, they say, what nonsense. It's OK. Then he will suck his breasts, he will not go anywhere. Coming to the postpartum department, I constantly meet children of 2-3 days of life who do not try to suckle the breast if it gets into their mouth. The kid demonstrates active search behavior, opens his mouth, turns his head, sometimes shouts.

When I try to apply it, he opens his mouth wide, but does not try to start sucking. It happens that the child immediately begins to cry as soon as the breast is put into his mouth. Very often there is a situation when a child stops opening his mouth wide during search behavior. This is how children behave who have had the experience of sucking a pacifier or pacifier.

Such a “wonderful” picture is often observed: a mother sits over a plastic maternity hospital bed, admires a peacefully sleeping baby sucking on a pacifier that says “I love you, mama”. (Recently, such pacifiers have been very common in Moscow). I ask my mother if the baby is breastfeeding, to which my mother replies that she tried to give a couple of times, but somehow he is not very ...

Second day after birth...

Usually, when I start telling my mother that if periodically giving a baby a bottle with a nipple to suck on, the child may refuse to breastfeed, my mother says: “Yes, it is easier to suck from a bottle. And here (in the maternity hospital) the holes are so big”

Meanwhile, the point is not at all in the holes and in the ease of sucking. The hole can be made very small. The thing is that when sucking on a pacifier, the child makes fundamentally different movements. It is easier to suck from the breast, because. the oxytocin reflex helps, which contracts smooth muscle cells around the lobules of the gland and pushes milk into the duct. Milk, as it were, is injected into the child's mouth due to this reflex.

The baby, having the experience of sucking the pacifier, also tries to suckle the breast. It is almost impossible to extract milk from the breast if you suck on it in the same way as a pacifier. The child becomes angry, refuses to breastfeed, yells. Mom is upset and gives the baby a bottle or pacifier to calm down, which he immediately begins to suck.

It should be noted here that the baby needs to suck to get rid of the feeling of discomfort. The child does not care what to suck. If he is used to sucking on a pacifier, he will suck on a pacifier. If he is used to sucking at the breast, he will suckle it and calm down with it. If he gets used to calming down with a pacifier, he will calm down with it.

There is a widespread misconception that if a baby is given a breast first and then a bottle, then the baby will not refuse the breast. Many mothers also believe that if only water, tea or juice is given from a bottle, the baby will not refuse the breast. In fact, for a baby to start refusing to breastfeed or spoil his attachment, 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 on the nipple 1-2 times to cause problems. There are babies who "suddenly" begin to act up at the breast at 2-3 months. There are children who are happy to suck everything they are given, but begin to reduce weight gain.

The World Health Organization puts it this way in its fact sheet on infant feeding:

“In a normal newborn, breastfeeding reflexes are already quite strong at birth. Indeed, practice confirms that some babies born at 32 weeks of gestation weighing as little as 1200g are able to suckle effectively at the breast even before they learn to suckle from artificial nipples, difficulties with which have been attributed to hypoxia and bradycardia in preterm infants. However, these crucial reflexes may be weak or absent in cases of too early termination of pregnancy or in children with extremely low birth weight, as well as in sick children ... ...

However, the most common reason for the reduced effectiveness of these reflexes is iatrogenic: the use of sedatives or painkillers during childbirth, interference with the learning process after childbirth. The instinctive movements of the child must be fixed in the correct behavior in the postpartum period. The use of other oral objects, nipples or pacifiers in the immediate post-natal period may set the baby up for other mouth movements that are unacceptable for breastfeeding. …

For the successful development of breastfeeding, the factors that reduce the duration, efficiency and frequency of suckling of the child must be eliminated in any way possible. These factors include limited feeding times, scheduled feedings, awkward positioning, use of other oral objects, and other liquids such as water, sugar solutions, vegetable or animal dairy products.”

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

Only with proper attachment, the baby stimulates the breast for sufficient milk production.

Only with proper attachment, the baby can suck out as much milk as he needs.

Only correct attachment does not cause any discomfort to the mother during feeding, and only with correct attachment it is never necessary to interrupt the feeding due to pain, because. they just don't exist.

What does proper breastfeeding look like?

The child should grab the nipple and areola with an energetic “butting” movement of the head, raising the chest, and then, as it were, laying it down when the chest moves down, on a wide-open mouth, with the tongue lowered under the chest, but not protruding. It is necessary that this capture 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, together with the areola, should actually fill the entire oral cavity of the child. This grip requires a very wide opening of the mouth, and if this does not work immediately, the child can be helped by placing a nipple on the child's lower lip, which will cause a reflex movement of the lips and opening of the mouth.

Often the first reaction of the child to the mother's breast will be her licking, and only then the capture. With the correct grip on the chest, the child retains a wide-open mouth, from the side it is clear that the lower lip is completely turned out (it is pushed out by the front edge of the tongue lying on the lower jaw). The areola completely enters 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 areola more than from above.

The effectiveness of suckling is determined not through the creation of negative pressure, but through the rhythmic massage of the areola, carried out by the movements of the child's tongue. A baby 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 child who is used to sucking a bottle gets a breast in his mouth, he does not know what to do with it.

In the extreme case of improper attachment, the nipple falls between the jaws, the child sucks the breast in the same way as 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 quite quickly and often already on the second day after childbirth, with improper attachment, abrasions appear that turn into cracks if the attachment is not corrected.

This situation is so common that many women consider cracking to be a necessary evil associated with breastfeeding. Very "insidious" is a painless version of improper attachment. 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, the mother is not hurt, because. the baby does not bite on the nipple. The baby even receives some amount of milk. But the breast does not receive sufficient stimulation and does not empty well. This gradually leads to a decrease in the amount of milk. Usually the child in this case does not put on weight very well. Or there is a gradual decrease in the increase. For example, in the first month the child added 900g, in the second - 600, in the third - 450.

If at the same time the child is somatically healthy, feeds on demand, does not suck 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 breastfeed a baby and how he should suck, how to control the quality of attachment during sucking, it is very likely that she herself will attach the baby not quite correctly and not will be able to teach him the correct behavior at the breast. She does not know that there is something to learn here ...

In those distant times, when breastfeeding in our society was a common occurrence, and not a rare exception, every woman could help a mother who was starting to feed, correct her mistakes, and show the necessary techniques. Currently, most women do not have the opportunity to learn motherhood practically. Many people read a variety of magazines and books for parents and then try to care for their baby and feed him, based on the theoretical knowledge gained.

Unfortunately, proper attachment of a baby to the breast cannot be learned from books, magazines and pictures. Practical training is required.

In maternity hospitals, where most of today's babies are born in industrialized countries, no one is doing this kind of training. The vast majority of health workers do not have the knowledge necessary for this. What is needed to successfully teach another woman is, first of all, a personal positive experience of breastfeeding.

Nurses and midwives, like most modern women, do not have this experience. Incorrect attachment, being a widespread phenomenon, does not cause any concern on the part of the medical staff. Women are given only routine advice to heal abrasions or cracks, if any.

If the baby and mother have painless improper attachment and the lack of milk associated with it, then the problem is solved by prescribing supplementary feeding and ends with a rapid transition to artificial feeding, because. Supplementation is given from a bottle with a nipple, and refusal of the breast is added to the problem of improper attachment.

What should a woman do when she puts her baby to her breast?

Try to still find someone who knows how to breastfeed the baby. If it is not possible to find a breastfeeding consultant (in Europe, North America, Australia this is not a problem), let it be a mother who is not feeding her first child, who monitored the quality of attachment, who fed for a long time, who does not use a nipple and pacifiers, who has never had having no problems with the nipples (abrasions, cracks).

Watch how she breastfeeds her baby and how her baby sucks. It could be your roommate. If you experience discomfort or pain while suckling the baby, and the medical staff cannot fix anything with their manipulations, try to find a mother who does not experience discomfort when feeding and check with her. Unfortunately, this does not always help, because. the size of the nipples, the shape of the breast, the size of the baby's mouth are very different.

The best option for a mother is when she is taught how to latch on by a woman who has extensive practical experience and is able to distinguish between different types of latch on with different nipple shapes. For example, at the first glance at two nursing roommates, especially from some distance, it may seem that one mother is doing well, while the other is not very deep.

But upon closer inspection, it turns out that the first mother's grip turned out to be insufficient, although the mother does not hurt, the child actually licks 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 stuck out the tongue very well, positioned it correctly and pumped the breast perfectly.

When attaching a child, try to follow the general recommendations:

Breastfeed your baby ONLY IN A WIDE OPEN MOUTH!

Do not try to push the nipple into the half-open mouth, most likely the child will clamp it in his jaws or take it not deep enough.

Try to act quickly, because. the child holds the mouth wide open for a second or two.

If you didn't make it, wait until next time.

Help your baby open her mouth by running the nipple over the bottom lip several times in a row. Be patient.

Very often I observe such mother's actions: mother takes the baby, tries to attach it, the child shows active search behavior, turns his head. Mom says: "He doesn't want to!" That is, the mother perceives the instinctive behavior of the child, aimed at finding the nipple, as a negative response of an adult!

Or, for example, it often happens when a mother touches the child's lower lip with her nipple, he squeezes his mouth. Mom again immediately says that the child 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 does not know that he is expected to open his mouth.

Most children need at least two weeks to develop a stable habit of proper nipple latching, in response to their mother's suggestion!

Very often, having grasped the breast correctly, the baby, while sucking, slides onto the tip of the nipple and begins to bite it. Mom has painful sensations, but she t rpits them. Painful sucking is unacceptable! The child 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 properly picked up (opening the baby's jaws, quickly putting the tip of the finger into the corner of the mouth) and reapplying. Usually the baby slides onto the tip of the nipple if, during sucking, he does not touch the breast with his nose.

In most maternity hospitals, it is recommended to hold the chest over the nose with a finger to make it easier to breathe. But the baby feels the chest with his face! He should touch the breast with his nose while suckling. This position should be maintained during the entire sucking and at any age of the baby. If the newborn does not touch the breast with his nose, then he does not feel that he is already in the “place”, and can make search movements with the nipple in his mouth! His mother immediately says that the child does not want to suck

The baby's nose is designed in such a way that with its tip it makes a “hole” in the chest and breathes through small triangular or oblong slits at the wings of the nose. Therefore, there is no need to hold the chest with a finger over the nose. In addition to the fact that this maneuver spoils the attachment, 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 the outflow of milk.

The baby should not be allowed to pull the nipple or pass it between the jaws back and forth. It is necessary to hold the head while trying to pull the nipple. And take 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 a nipple in his mouth if he wants to look at some object. The kid should follow the object of interest only with his eyes. Or he should let go of his chest and turn his head, if it is so necessary for him.

Separately, I want to note the “uncomfortable” forms of the nipple - flat, inverted, long, thick nipples. Any newborn that can suckle can adapt to any shape of its mother's nipple. A mother with an "unconventional" nipple needs to show more patience and perseverance in teaching her baby to suckle correctly. And she should try to ensure that her baby never gets other “oral objects” in her mouth, because. they will in any case seem to him more comfortable to suck on than the mother's breast.

For a mother with flat and inverted nipples, the moment the baby draws the breast into her mouth is very important. If a bottle of a pacifier or a nipple gets into the baby's mouth, he stops making a retracting movement. The nipple and pacifier are already elongated, they do not need to be retracted additionally. Therefore, when the mother's flat nipple gets into the baby's mouth, he simply opens his mouth and waits, does not try to draw it in.

A mother with flat or inverted nipples should try to prevent other sucking objects from getting into her baby's mouth. If necessary, you can give supplementary food or your expressed milk from a spoon, syringe or pipette.

If the mother has long and (or) large nipples, it is very important for her to put them into her mouth as deep as possible, bringing the nipple itself past the jaws. In the case of a long nipple, the baby very often closes the jaws on the nipple or just behind the nipple. The areola practically does not get into the mouth, the baby does not express it, it turns out that he just licks the nipple. He cannot express milk like that, the chest is not emptied and is not stimulated. There is a shortage of milk.

A large nipple cannot be inserted into an insufficiently open mouth. The baby, having sucked on a pacifier or a pacifier, ceases to open his mouth wide, because. for sucking these objects it is absolutely not necessary to open the mouth wide. A child with the smallest mouth can suck on his mother's breast with the largest or longest, or any other "uncomfortable", from our point of view, nipple. It is only necessary to correctly put the chest into the mouth, show patience and perseverance. All in all.

By teaching the child to suck properly, the mother provides him with full, ideal nutrition in the future, and for herself - long-term stable lactation.