How to Help Your Baby Get a Good Latch When Breast Feeding

Having a correct latch when nursing is incredibly important to a mother because of both the baby's intake of breast milk as well as the mother's comfort when breast feeding. The following article gives suggestions on how to help your baby get a good latch when breast feeding.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Stimulate the breast and nipple by first using your finger to push the milk into the nipple and to roll out any knots of milk that you might feel. Then using your thumb and fore finger pull the nipples and move from side to side to help them nipple become hard and extend outward.

2. Hold the baby directly in front of your breast and tease them with the nipple along their nose and lips so that they will smell the breast and milk and use their mouth to latch on.

3. Pull the baby's bottom lip down and they will naturally suction themselves onto the breast. The correct look of a good latch will be the baby's nose almost touching the breast as well as the chin.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not allow your baby to 'nibble' on your breast and use it as a pacifier to prevent 'baby bottle' tooth decay as well as the prevention of sore nipples.