Breastfeeding

Feeding your Baby at the Breast

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Feeding Cues | Positioning | Latching-on | Sucking | Contact Us

Feeding cues

Begin breastfeeding when you see your baby showing any of these early hunger cues:

Licking
Sucking movements
Rooting
Bringing hands to face or mouth

Crying is a late hunger cue, and many babies have trouble latching once they become frustrated and begin to cry.

Positioning

For all feeding positions, make yourself comfortable. Hold your baby at the level of your breast. This may require a pillow or two placed on your lap. Hold your baby so that his whole body is facing you.

Support your breast by holding it at the base while compressing your breast in the same direction as your baby’s mouth. Position your baby so that his nose is at the level of your nipple.

Latching On

Bring your baby to your breast when he opens his mouth. Latch him bottom lip- top lip in one quick movement. His lower lip should be flanged outward, chin dug into the breast.

If baby should need help opening his mouth to latch, stroke his lower lip with your nipple.

Sucking

After a period of quick sucking, your baby’s sucking should deepen and you should see and hear regular swallowing.

Breastfeeding should be comfortable to you. If you feel pain during the feed for more than several seconds, break the suction by placing your baby finger in the corner of your baby’s mouth, and he will release your breast. Start over with latching on. If pain persists during feedings, contact a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC).

If your baby stops sucking at the breast, gently compress your breast to express milk in his mouth to remind him to keep sucking.

When your baby is positioned, latched on, and sucking well, he will come off the breast spontaneously when he is finished either by falling asleep or popping off on his own. Burp him and offer the second breast. Feeding on both breasts should take at least 20 minutes.