HealthPartners - Preparing for childbirth

BREASTFEEDING POSITIONS There are different ways to hold your baby during breastfeeding, called “positions” or “holds.” No matter which position you choose, you need to hold your baby securely with their head at a good level to latch on deeply and comfortably to your breast.

BREASTFEEDING

Positioning guidelines • Hold your baby chest-to-chest • Keep your baby’s ear, shoulder, and hip in a straight line • Support the base of your baby’s head

SCAN + PLAY

LAID BACK POSITION BABY-LED LATCH

CRADLE HOLD

CROSS-CRADLE HOLD

SIDE-LYING HOLD

CLUTCH OR FOOTBALL HOLD

NEED TO KNOW

Not all positions work for everyone, so you’ll want to try several to find which ones are best for you and your baby. A small change in position can make a huge difference in how comfortable you and your baby are during each feeding.

Chapter 9: Breastfeeding

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