5 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
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.”
Newborns who are struggling to latch on are good candidates for this hold. “My son, Clayton, didn’t want to breastfeed,” says Chris Brack, mother of four in Denver, Colo. “He had a hard time breathing. When he relaxed, his larynx would cave in on itself. I called the La Leche League for help. Using the cross cradle hold and a few of their other suggestions, Clayton would curl up next to me and nurse.”
The Football Hold
The football hold, also known as the clutch hold, is when you use your same hand (left hand for left breast and right hand for right breast) to support the back of the baby’s head. The baby’s body and feet are tucked underneath the arm on same side the baby is nursing, so that his legs dangle behind you. Pillows can be used to bring the infant to the right level.
The baby’s body should be in a straight line with his head. The other hand (left hand for right breast and right 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.
“With my daughter, I used the football hold,” Snyder says. “My father-in-law was dying of cancer, and often he would sit right next to me and look at my daughter. Once, he picked up the blanket a little too soon and was sprayed right in the eye! We all had a good laugh over that.”
The football hold assists babies in fitting with their mother’s body type. “I am quite large-breasted,” says Sarah Doggett of Bellevue, Wash. “When Gus was first born, it was rather humorous, because my breasts were larger than his head. In order to give him some breathing space, I sometimes used the football hold.”
Smaller babies and those who struggle to latch on are excellent candidates for the football hold. This is because mothers can better control their baby’s position and their breast using this hold. “The football hold also works extremely well with premature babies,” Hewson says.
The Cradle Hold
The cradle hold, also called the Madonna hold, is when you use your same hand (right hand for right breast and left hand for left breast) and forearm to support the back of the baby’s head and body, so that the baby is on his side with his stomach facing toward you.
1 2
