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The Nursing Mother's Companion

By Kathleen Huggins, R.N., M.S.

Football hold. The football hold is a great position when:

• You have had a cesarean birth and want to avoid placing the baby against your abdomen.
• You need more visibility in getting the baby to latch on.
• Your breasts are large.
• You are nursing a small baby, especially if he is premature.
• You are nursing twins.

Sit in a comfortable armchair with a pillow at your side to help support your arm and lift the baby. Support the baby in a semi-sitting position facing you, with her bottom at the back of the chair. Your arm closest to your baby should support her back, with your hand holding her neck and head. Place your thumb behind and below one ear and your other fingers behind the other. The top of the baby's head should be as high as the top of your breast.

Support your breast with your free hand so that your thumb is about 1 1/2 inches from the nipple at twelve o'clock and your index finger is the same distance from the nipple at six o'clock Compress the areola with your thumb and index finger, so that your hand forms a C-shape. This will more closely match your breast to the shape of your baby's mouth, so she can take in more of the breast. As with the cross-over hold, stimulate the baby to open her mouth wide, and bring her onto the breast.