Holding On

Basic Breastfeeding Positions

By Sheila Seifert

"Women tell me, 'I was so worried about labor and birth that I didn't give a thought to breastfeeding,'" says Denise G. Hewson, R.N., IBCLC, in Katy, Texas. "An important part of my job is teaching women that if they are comfortable when breastfeeding, they'll nurse longer."

Whether you're a first-time breastfeeding mother or merely in need of a refresher course, the following guide takes you step-by-step through the basic breastfeeding positions. These are the most common positions used by moms due to ease and comfort.

The cross cradle hold is also known as the transitional hold, the crossover hold or the transverse hold. This hold is achieved when you use your opposite hand (left hand for right breast and right hand for left breast) to support the back of the baby's head, neck and shoulders, so that the baby is on his side with his stomach facing toward you. The baby's body should be in a straight line with his head. The other hand (right hand for right breast and left hand for left breast) is used to cup the breast placing your fingers beneath your breast and your thumb on top of your breast. Your nipple should be placed within the baby's mouth and then the baby pulled against your body.

"At first, I could only get my son to latch with the cross cradle hold," says Patricia Snyder of Chicago, Ill. "He is my second child. His mouth was a lot smaller than my daughter's, and my nipple was larger than last time. He was also very sleepy, so this hold was great for rubbing him to keep him awake."

This hold allows a higher level of support for both Mother and Baby. "A mother has more control of her baby and her breast in this position," Hewson says. "When I instruct new mothers, I first teach them the cross cradle hold."

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• Breastfeed.com's Expert Q&A
• Your Breast Friend: The International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
• Beginning to Breastfeed: 11 Tips from the Trenches
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