Positioning Your Baby While Breastfeeding

Video Transcript

"Greetings! My name is Asma Hanif. I am a certified nurse midwife with a private practice in Baltimore, Maryland, and this segment is on positioning your baby during breast-feeding. Since feedings can take up to 40 minutes, you want to pick a cozy spot for nursing; hold your baby in a position that would not leave your arms and back sore. It works well to support the back of your baby’s head with your hand, but the position you choose really depends on what is comfortable for you. If you are sitting, a nursing pillow can be a big help in supporting your baby. Just remember do not feed your baby until you and your baby are both comfortable, because you will be sitting or lying in that position for a while. There are several different types of positions you may choose. For example, this is considered the cradle hold; this is the most common position for breast-feeding your baby, and as you can also see that this position is the best when you are sitting up. Another common position is the clutch or football hold, and that is where the baby is turned, the head is tilt forward and the baby’s body is to your back, this position is called the side lying hold, and this when you want to rest; maybe you are a little tired, you do not want to sit up or be in the chair, or maybe you do not want to watch your favorite show. And I used to use this position at night, because you and the baby can both fall asleep from a comfortable position. This picture shows the correct position for breast-feeding your baby. Thank you and on behalf of Expert Village, I appreciate you watching."