LATCHING

When baby is having a hard time grasping the nipple, mom might try the following suggestion to see if it helps make it easier for baby to latch on:

A good latch is vital to the breastfeeding relationship. Kathy Kuhn, RN BSN IBCLC and lactation consultant for Parentsplace.com Breastfeeding Support board explains how to achieve a good latch (posted here with permission):

FOR BABIES WHO ARE NOT OPENING VERY WIDE:

Try between feedings to stroke your baby's mouth with your finger from nose to chin, say the word, "open" and open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue. If she is relaxed you can gently press down on her chin to encourage a wide open but if she is tense this will only cause her to clamp down. She will imitate your facial expression and you can use this skill at the breast to get her to open wide. Praise her a lot when she opens and allow her to suck your finger if you want.

 

TO POSITION:

Use the cross cradle or football hold during this learning stage. The cross cradle is similar to the cradle except if you are nursing at the right breast you would hold the baby with your left hand and arm and support the breast with the right hand. The football hold is under the arm, holding the baby with the right arm for the right breast and left arm for the left breast.

You should support the baby's head with your thumb and index fingers behind the baby's ears, and your palm supporting the neck and upper back. Your arm will support the rest of the back and the elbow cuddles in the bottom. You should feel like you have good control over the baby with this one arm. Have pillows handy to support the weight of the arm with baby when you get positioned. (practice with a doll if needed)

 

Support your breast with the free hand with thumb on one side and fingers on the other. Be very careful not to cover the part of the breast that needs to go in the baby's mouth. (about 1 inch from the base of the nipple) Keep your fingers well back. When supporting the breast place your fingers parallel to the baby's lips (think of how you would compress a big thick sandwich on a roll to make it fit your mouth)

Hold the baby tummy to tummy so she doesn't need to turn her head to reach the breast. She should be looking straight at the breast. Her ears shoulders and hips should form a straight line and her head should not be extended back or flexed forward.

TO LATCH:

Stroke her lips from nose to chin with your nipple, and cue her to open wide like you did with your finger between feedings. Use the word, "open" and open your mouth wide for her to imitate. As you stroke, make sure you control when the baby gets on to the breast, don't allow her to slurp, nibble or suck her way on. Between strokes pull her back a little to prevent this. Mom controls when baby gets on!! WAIT for the open wide, be patient it will come, sometimes with a cry. You need to anticipate the open because it will come quickly and won't last long. Right before the open wide many baby's will start to breath faster or waggle their head side to side. Be ready and move quickly to bring the baby onto the breast. Do not put the breast into the baby. The correct motion is baby onto breast not breast into baby. (seems like a small difference but it is not, by pushing the breast in it can cause the tongue to bunch up and create sore nipples.

Once the baby is on the breast, the nose and chin should touch the breast and the mouth should be flanged open really wide. The corner of the mouth should look similar to the angle created when you stretch your thumb and index finger as far apart as they will go. The baby should look smushed into the breast, and yes your baby can breath like that. Because you are holding the head down low behind the ears the baby can adjust to clear her nose if needed. Do not be tempted to depress your breast to keep the breast out of her nose, you will be creating a shallow latch and sore nipples, and increasing your risk for plugged ducts, and it just isn't necessary.

TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE A GOOD LATCH

The main difference you should notice if your baby has been latching shallowly (on the tip, leading to sore nipples and possibly an impaired ability for the baby to get enough milk) is that it is more comfortable and the mouth is wider at the breast. You may notice more swallows. If you were very sore it may not feel perfectly comfortable but you should notice a significant improvement. If you do not notice a big improvement that means something is still wrong.

Offering the breast frequently helps the baby have more patience to work on latch and positioning (a hungry baby has no patience to work on getting a good latch), so remember to offer the breast at least every couple hrs or even sooner if baby is receptive.