What position should you adopt for breastfeeding?

Getting comfortable

– Make sure you have everything within reach: water, a breastfeeding snack to keep hunger at bay, a breast pad for the other breast and, if you like, some music…
– Settle yourself in a quiet spot.
– Make sure you are well positioned and well supported with pillows (you should feel no tension).
– Whatever position you choose for feeding your baby, their head, neck and spine should be well aligned, and their head should be level with your breast.
– Their ear should not touch your shoulder.

A good latch
 

– Your baby needs to open their mouth wide to take in part of your areola (the pigmented area surrounding the nipple), and not just your nipple.
– Your baby should not be chewing on your breast, or appear to be struggling to stay latched on (no tension).
– Your baby should be held close to the breast: in the first few days it should be difficult to see their mouth (only their upper lip and cheeks should be visible).
– During the first days after birth, avoid holding the top or back of their head firmly. It is very sensitive, and this can trigger a reflex in your baby to pull away from the breast. Instead, support your baby at the nape of the neck.
– Some lactation consultants recommend an asymmetric latch (especially at birth), to allow the baby to open their mouth wide enough. The baby's mouth should not latch onto the breast in a centred position. In practice, this means their lower lip should cover a greater part of your areola compared to their upper lip.
– In the first few days after birth, use your dominant hand (right hand if right-handed) to guide your baby to the breast more easily.

What should you do if you have difficulties with latching on?
 

– If your baby becomes frustrated at the breast in the first few days, try the laid-back position (see further on), which will stimulate their sucking reflexes.
– You may also wish to consult a chiropractor or specialist osteopath to relieve any tension in your baby (a stiff neck, for example..)
– Help your baby latch on by "flattening" your breast like a sandwich (your fingers should form a C shape). Imagine a fully inflated balloon — it would be hard to bite into.. It's the same for your baby at the start of breastfeeding.
– Don't wait until your baby is wriggling and crying before offering the breast, as this always makes things harder. Look out for early hunger cues (hand to mouth, yawning) or offer the breast as soon as they wake.
– Try other breastfeeding positions
– Finally, seek help from a lactation consultant if you experience pain during breastfeeding (pulling sensations, breastfeeding nipple cracks), in order to check the latch and rule out a possible tongue tie (when your baby does not have good tongue mobility). If needed, you could seek an food supplement for breastfeeding women to support your milk supply, on the advice of an IBCLC.

The "transat" position is known as "biological nurturing" in English.

When a baby is placed on their mother's chest within the first hour after birth, they are instinctively able to make their way towards the breast to feed, without any outside help (the scent of the nipple reminds them of the smell of amniotic fluid).
 

This first skin-to-skin contact also helps regulate your baby's temperature, blood sugar levels, and oxygen saturation, and is thought to support a better establishment of the suckling reflex.

This is the classic position, the one most commonly seen in breastfeeding photos. 

And yet, it is a "confirmed" position — not necessarily the most straightforward if you are new to breastfeeding!

This is a transitional position, particularly recommended for the first few weeks. 

This is a variation of the madonna hold, but it is easier to get into from the start. It is called the cross-cradle hold because it is the arm opposite to the breast being offered that supports the baby.
 

Once breastfeeding is well established, you can move on to the madonna hold, which is more comfortable.

It is not necessarily the most spontaneous or natural position, but it may be recommended if you have had a caesarean section. 

It is undeniably the most acrobatic position, but the best one in cases of breastfeeding mastitis.

It will likely take quite a bit of practice to manage feeding your baby whilst carrying them at the same time, but once you and your little one have got the hang of it, you'll have your hands free and be able to breastfeed on the go.

Do you have twins? 
– Use a twin-specific breastfeeding pillow for the first few weeks, to help support them without putting too much pressure on your abdomen, especially if you have had a caesarean section
– Don't "assign" a breast to each baby, as both breasts never produce the same amount of milk (alternate breasts between feeds)

There are many positions for breastfeeding. It's up to you to find the one that works best for you and your baby!