You’ve decided to breastfeed your newborn, but for some reason your baby doesn’t seem to be on-board with the master plan. She keeps falling asleep, her mouth isn’t opening wide enough to get any milk, and your breasts are in serious pain every time you try to feed her. And you’re thinking, This is the pits! Don’t give up yet. There are ways to help your baby latch on so that you can both—painlessly—enjoy breastfeeding.
These are four steps you can take to help your baby latch on correctly:
If you feel pain, your baby is probably not latched on correctly. Break the baby’s suction by placing one finger in the corner of her mouth between her gums, and gently pull her mouth away; then try again. Feeding incorrectly can lead to prolonged nipple pain for you and insufficient milk intake for your baby; it’s important to help your baby learn to latch on correctly.
“The asymmetrical latch is key to successful breastfeeding,” said Alexandra Walker, MA, IBCLC, a lactation consultant in Bethesda, MD. “In order to achieve an asymmetrical latch, line the baby up nose to nipple, rather than lips to nipple. When the baby comes on to the breast, the baby's upper lip should be just above the nipple and the baby's lower lip should cover all of the areola, and perhaps even some breast tissue." Some babies purse their lips, particularly the lower lip; if this is the case, the mouth is not properly latched on for successful swallowing. Be sure that your baby's lips are turned out.
"With this asymmetrical latch, the mother's nipple is able to extend back toward the baby's soft palate where it is protected from trauma," added Walker. "This latch not only allows the mother to enjoy a comfortable latch, but also it allows the baby to transfer milk more effectively.”
Still need to troubleshoot? You’re not alone! While some women have an easy time breastfeeding from the start, many moms have to work a little harder with their babies to figure out the process. Try different breastfeeding positions. If your baby refuses to latch on despite your best efforts, you may want to work with a lactation consultant. These specialists are trained to help women breastfeed successfully. Another good resource is “When the Baby Refuses to Latch On” from Breastfeedingonline.com.
Sources:
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Breastfeeding.com
Breastfeedingonline.com
La Leche League International
Hillary Easom happily breastfed each of her two children for 16 months.