Cross cradle
This is one of the best breastfeeding positions for beginners. Sit upright in a chair or comfortable chair with armrests. Bring the baby towards you, across your stomach, so that his stomach touches yours. Hold the baby with one hand - opposite the nursing breast. If you feed with your left breast, it will be your right hand, with your right, it will be your left hand. Support the child's head with the palm of the same hand, leaving the thumb. With your other hand, grab your chest from below. The palm and thumb are positioned like the Latin letter U, in which the chest lies. Direct your baby's mouth toward the nipple without leaning forward or hovering over your baby. This is a good position if your baby has difficulty latching because this position will allow you to comfortably guide your baby's head into your palm.
Haberman's sippy cup
Suitable for: Children who are generally unable to suckle at their mother's breast. These are children with cleft palate and lip, with Pierre-Robin syndrome, children with neurological problems, as well as premature babies with a still poorly developed sucking reflex.
Advantages: These babies are usually fed from a bottle with easy-flowing milk with a large hole in the nipple, or through a feeding tube. But this method makes feeding much more convenient. In addition to helping regulate the supply of milk, it also prevents excess air from entering the baby’s stomach. During feeding, the movements of the baby's tongue are very similar to those that occur when the baby sucks the mother's breast. The baby does not have to suck out the milk, he seems to lap it up. Also, the advantage of this method of feeding is that the baby does not need to create the pressure that must be created when sucking from a bottle or breast; for this, the nursing person only needs to press the tip of the sippy cup.
Disadvantages: High price
The process itself: Before filling the sippy cup, the lower part of the nipple is compressed to release air and milk is drawn in like a pipette - by squeezing the wide part of the tip. The flow of milk is regulated by turning the cup. The tip is divided into three divisions; it is better to start in such a position that the middle division is directed towards the baby’s nose, and then turn it, thereby regulating the flow of milk.
Armpit Pose
The armpit pose, also called the underarm pose, is well suited for women after a caesarean section and those with large breasts. In this position, the baby's weight does not rest on the mother's belly. With your elbow bent, hold your baby in front of you at waist level. Support your baby's head with an open palm, turning his head toward your chest. A child in this position seems to be looking out from his armpit. With your free hand, grab your breast so that your fingers are underneath the nipple and your thumb is on top, forming a C. This position is also good for feeding premature babies.
Fifteen Breastfeeding Positions (AKEB)
Irina Ryukhova, AKEV teacher, member of the International Lactation Consultant Association (www.ilca.org)
Fortunately, the days are long gone when a mother was ordered to feed her baby in the same position - sitting on a chair and placing a special stool under her foot... Now the stools have been replaced by pillows for feeding, and a nursing mother knows that any position in which she is comfortable is good yourself and the baby! However, skills usually come with practice, but what should a mother who has given birth to her first child recently, or is just thinking about upcoming breastfeeding in the last days of pregnancy, focus on? Rule one
– When feeding, we try to ensure comfort for both ourselves and the baby.
Feeding should be relaxing for both of you! This is a time of peace and relaxation, a time of love and maximum close communication between mother and baby. Nothing should distract or irritate you, so immediately try to take a comfortable position; if necessary, place pillows under your back and arms (as during pregnancy), or place them under your baby, or sit in a chair (for many mothers, a rocking chair is an excellent purchase). During long, relaxed feedings, it wouldn't hurt to have a glass of drink or a small snack at arm's length, since milk flows can cause thirst or hunger. Rule two
- in the very first days after birth, try not one, but several options for positioning when feeding the baby.
But even if you decide that one position suits you best, don’t stop there! From time to time, offer your baby the breast from other positions, because your baby is growing so quickly - and the behavior at the breast changes as he grows. What seemed inconvenient yesterday may turn out to be the most appropriate tomorrow. Rule three
- there are times when changing the feeding position is not only desirable, but also necessary. In the first days of the baby’s life, this may be necessary in case of damage to the nipples, when it is necessary for the working parts of the baby’s mouth to fall on other, undamaged places (just remember that simply changing the position is not enough, you need to establish and eliminate the cause of the problem - most often this is a consequence of improper latching of the breast ). Then feeding from “non-standard” positions may be necessary to help the mother cope with stagnation of milk. Well, the walkers, like acrobats, playfully handle mother’s breasts from any position! We will tell you and show in more detail the various variations of feeding positions.
MOM FEEDS SITTING
"Lullaby"
The most common feeding position, which has been depicted by many artists in their paintings. It provides perhaps the greatest comfort for the child - he lies in his mother’s arms, like in a cradle, which is where this position got its name. The mother sits down, takes the baby in her arms so that his head is in the crook of the elbow, turns him towards her with his tummy - and gives the breast. The palm of my mother's other hand covers the butt or supports the back. For proper latching on the breast, it is very important that the baby’s head is at the same height as the nipple, so at first you will have to raise your elbow quite high (a pillow can be useful here: either a regular one or a special one for feeding). Please note that the baby's head is tilted back slightly - this ensures an effective, deep attachment to the breast, in which the baby can suck the most milk.
"Reverse Cradle"
This type of “cradle” position helps the baby to latch onto the breast well in the first time after birth, when he is still very tiny and needs more help from his mother. Under the baby's head is not the elbow, but the mother's hand - this allows you to hold and, if necessary, control the baby's head. In this case, the hand opposite the nursing breast serves as support; The palm is located under the baby’s back and shoulders, the head is between the thumb and forefinger. At the very beginning of the application, the second hand supports the breast from below; When the mother is convinced that the baby has taken the breast well, it can be removed. Since the hand that holds the baby can quickly get tired, you need to either place a pillow under it for support, or, after the baby has taken the breast well, carefully switch hands and continue feeding in a traditional “cradle”.
From under the hand
Oddly enough, not everyone knows this position, even re-feeding mothers - but there are situations when it is very useful! For example, it allows mothers after a cesarean section to feed while sitting without putting pressure on the stomach; often helps in a situation where the child clearly prefers one breast to the other (in the under-arm position, the “unloved” breast is in the same position in relation to the child’s mouth as the “favorite”, and this makes it easier for many children to get used to); helps to latch onto the breast better if the mother has flat nipples, and comes to the rescue if the baby is hyperactive and it is simply difficult to hold him in a traditional “cradle”. For many mothers, this pose has proven to be a true relief! In the under-arm position, the baby is positioned on the side of the mother, as if looking out from the armpit. The mother supports the baby's head under the neck, his legs are behind the mother's back. The baby is turned with his tummy to his mother's side, his mouth is at the level of the nipple - so that the mother does not have to bend, a pillow is placed to the required height.
Baby sitting
Of course, this position is for already grown infants older than six months. They usually really like to feed, sitting astride their mother’s lap, looking at their mother and “communicating” with her, without letting go of their mother’s breast.
MOM FEEDS LYING UP
Lying on your side
This position is the next most common after the “cradle”. Of course, most often it is used at night or during the daytime rest (if the baby sleeps with his mother, then feeding on his side allows both of them to hardly even wake up during feeding), and in the first days of the baby’s life it is very popular among mothers who gave birth by cesarean section and should now avoid putting pressure on the abdomen. When feeding while lying down, the mother and baby lie on their sides, turning to each other, the mother hugs the baby. The simplest lying position, as in the photo, is usually used with older children - feeding the youngest in this way can be inconvenient due to the difference in the height of the nipple and the child’s mouth.
In mom's hand
But this version of the same position is usually used by mothers of newborn babies. To ensure that the mouth is at nipple level, the mother offers the breast to the baby with her upper hand. It will be very comfortable for mom if she places her pillow so that only her head is on it, and her shoulders are on the plane of the bed.
Baby lying on a pillow
You can place the baby not on your own arm, but on a flat pillow. Mothers sometimes complain that feeding while lying down is inconvenient for them: this usually happens if the mother tries to maintain balance by leaning on her elbow - of course, in this case the arm quickly gets tired and the body becomes numb. In fact, it’s enough just to take a comfortable position, when the mother herself is lying down on the pillow, without relying on her elbow.
Upper breast feeding
If it is more convenient for a mother to feed on one side, then you can feed not only the lower breast facing the baby, but also the upper one. In addition, this position will help the baby cope with stagnation of milk if it unexpectedly arises in the lower inner part of the breast.
Relaxed feeding
One of the wonderful positions that helps both mother and baby relax and unwind as much as possible during feeding. Mom lies reclining, with her head and shoulders slightly raised, surrounding herself with comfortable support from pillows and providing herself with complete comfort. The baby lies on the mother, who helps him find the breast and latch on. In addition to the fact that the mother herself is relaxed, the baby himself calms down perfectly in this position: it is especially good for restless children, whose mothers report that the child waves his arms and legs and turns his head. Being on the mother's stomach during such feeding, the baby does not interfere with himself with chaotic movements of his arms and legs, but either crawls to the breast or calmly sucks; turns of the head left and right here turn into up and down movements, helping to better latch on to the breast. As a result, the baby often takes the breast deeper and the tongue works more actively when sucking than in other positions. This position also allows the baby to regulate the flow of milk well, which is especially important with a strong milk secretion reflex, when the baby may choke when feeding in a normal position.
Feeding jack
A rather rarely used position comes to the rescue when milk stagnation occurs. If for some reason more milk has arrived than the baby can handle, then when feeding in the same position there is a danger of stagnation. The baby empties his mother's breasts unevenly - he best sucks milk from the part of the breast where his chin points when feeding. This is what we need to focus on if we need to cope with stagnation. This position is used if you need the baby to help dissolve relatively rare lumps in the upper part of the chest.
MOTHER FEEDS STANDING
Rocking while standing
Also one of the basic positions. Feeding while standing, combined with quiet rocking, helps to quickly put a baby to sleep who is cranky or nervous.
The baby is standing
This is how grown-up children usually do their best “on the run” in order to quickly restore peace of mind with a brief but gentle contact with their mother and get back to their very important children’s affairs.
Baby on mom's hip
This feeding position can be useful if the baby is prone to regurgitation - the vertical position of the baby greatly alleviates, or even completely solves, this problem.
SPECIAL OPTIONS
Overhang feeding
If the mother wants to help the milk ejection reflex, the mother can feed the baby by hanging over him with support on her elbow. In this position, under the influence of gravity, it is easier for milk to descend through the ducts, which can be especially important when transferring babies from bottle feeding to breastfeeding. However, it is difficult to feed for such a long time; the hand gets tired quickly.
Feeding in a sling
An active mother carrying her baby in a sling will, of course, not leave him hungry either - a sling, like no other accessory, promotes breastfeeding, helping to maintain close contact between the baby and the mother and her breast without unnecessary stress!
...well, when your little one grows up, you will see for yourself that your tender love for your mother’s tita allows you to feed as you please, almost upside down! The main thing is to provide the opportunity itself
We thank the mothers who acted as models and photographers Olga Ermolaeva and Alena Akimenko.
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