Painful Latch?

Are you in pain? Does it hurt to breastfeed your baby?  Are you struggling to latch your baby? Having a good latch can help you have pain-free breastfeeding and to help ensure that your baby is effectively removing milk. 

Here are some tips for having a good latch: 

1. Positioning: Ensure that you and your baby are in a comfortable position for breastfeeding. Make sure you have your baby belly to belly with you. You don’t want to be hunched, bent over, or on the balls of your feet.  Ensure that you are bringing the baby to you instead of moving your body to your baby. Place your hands at the base of your infant's head to support their neck and shoulders so that the baby can tilt their head back. You do not want your hands over the back of their head. 

3. Prepare your nipple: If using infant directed latching, place your nipple to your baby’s nose. Hold your breast with your thumb parallel to your baby’s nose. Your hand will be shaped either like a “c” or a “u” hold. 

4. Once the baby’s chin and body trigger a wide open mouth, help guide the baby onto the breast with an asymmetrical latch.  You will want more of the bottom of your areola (dark circular area) in the baby’s mouth than the top. 

5. Check the latch: After the baby has latched, their chin should be touching your breast, their cheeks rounded, and more of the bottom of the areola in the mouth than at the top. If the latch is painful or uncomfortable , gently break suction by inserting a finger into the corner of your baby's mouth, and try latching the baby on again. 

6. Switch sides: Alternate breasts at each feeding to avoid keeping one breast overly full. 

7. Watch baby's hunger cues: Let the baby determine the length of each feeding by ending the feeding when they naturally let go of the breast.

Getting a good latch may take some practice, so  please do not become discouraged if it takes you some time. You may have heard that breastfeeding is natural, but it still takes practice.  

If you are having any problems with latching, I can help. Click here to schedule a consultation.