Breastfeeding is a skill that takes practice: it requires time and patience and it can be challenging to work out which feeding positions feel most comfortable, especially in the early days. You should try different positions to see which feels best for you and your baby, and remember, there definitely aren’t any ‘correct’ or ‘best’ positions for breastfeeding. However, it is always important to offer both breasts and alternate breasts after every feed.
First and foremost, try to ensure baby has a good latch. This is something that will take time and doesn’t always work instantly. Remember to ask your midwife, health visitor or breast-feeding consultant to help if things remain painful and if you feel the latch isn’t working.
Tips for a good latch:
Over time, you will learn to recognise baby’s early feeding cues, and this will give you time to make sure you are in a good position before they become over-hungry. Early feeding cues can include moving their head side to side, opening their mouth, or sucking on their fingers/hands. Ideally, try not to wait until your baby is crying as this is a late hunger cue. If you get to this late stage, it will be more stressful for you both to get into a good position for feeding.
Throughout feeding, if you ever have pain or feel uncomfortable, try unlatching baby and trying a different position. This can significantly improve breastfeeding pain. Moreover, a good latch will ensure baby has the best opportunity to co-ordinate suckling, swallowing and breathing, and ultimately reduce wind. Generally, a few hints are:
Over time, as you become more experienced with breastfeeding, you will find different positions that can be altered in many ways. If baby is nursing well and you are comfortable, there is no ‘correct position’ – just do what works for you both. Below are descriptions of some common positions you can try. However, always ensure that your baby is brought to your nipple height. Leaning over baby can cause backache, neck/shoulder problems and sore nipples.
This position encourages you and your baby’s natural breastfeeding instincts.
This is the position most used by breastfeeding mothers after the first few weeks. However, if you’ve had a caesarean, this may not be comfortable as your baby will lie across your scar area. You could try the side-lying position or rugby hold described below.
Some mothers find this position the easiest and most relaxing after the initial early days. It is also useful if you have had a difficult labour or a caesarean section. A lot of mothers also enjoy this position at night. Practising this in the daytime can be helpful before trying it at night when you may be more tired.
Breastfeeding using this position is good after a caesarean section as there is no pressure on your tummy or scar. It is also useful for twins as they can both be fed at the same time. Newborns are comfortable in this position and it is also useful if mother’s have a forceful milk ejection reflex (let down) because the baby can handle the quicker flow of milk more easily.
It can be harder to establish breastfeeding after a C-section especially if you have pain, or if you can’t move around easily, and both you and baby may feel very tired. It may take longer for milk to come in, but once established, women who have had a section are just as likely to continue breastfeeding as those who have a vaginal birth.
Always discuss any pain you have with your healthcare provider, midwife or health visitor.
You may find variations of the positions above useful in trying to establish feeding and finding a position that is most comfortable for you.
Tips:
Another complicating factor in breastfeeding after a C-section, is that babies may have a lot of mucous they are coughing up. In a vaginal birth this mucous is squeezed from the baby’s lungs, so C-section babies may be less interested in feeding or may not feed for very long each time. Therefore, it is important to keep trying to breastfeed, or express some milk every 3 hours, so that your body continues to get the signal to produce milk. Once the mucous has cleared, baby should begin to feed more regularly.
Some mothers find breastfeeding in a sling to be more comfortable and beneficial when ‘out and about’. The fabric of the sling can be discreet as it covers both the breast and the baby’s head. You will need to ensure that baby is in the correct position for the sling used, and that their head is at nipple height. You may need to support their head during feeding, but it does mean you can have one hand free. Speak to your health visitor or midwife about this: there may a local ‘sling library’ where you can try out different types of sling for free before you purchase one.
Remember, there are no ‘correct’ positions for breastfeeding. Ensuring a good latch is the first step in making sure your breastfeeding journey gets off to a good start. Try experimenting with different positions to see which feels best for you. If you need more help, ask your health visitor, midwife or GP. Community groups and breastfeeding cafes can also be extremely beneficial and have lots of useful information once you are home from the hospital. Your midwife and health visitor should be able to tell you what is available and local to you.
References:
La Leche League International ‘Positioning’:
https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/positioning
NHS ‘Breastfeeding: positioning and attachmt’:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/breastfeeding-positioning-attachment/
NHS Start4life ‘How to breastfeed’:
https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/breastfeeding/how-to-breastfeed/breastfeeding-positions/
Tommy’s ‘Breastfeeding after a C-Section’: