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LATCHING ON Some babies take to the breast first time. Others don’t. If you have been using nipple shields (which are often advised for nipple soreness and engorgement when correct positioning might be useful, but takes longer), your baby has had bottles or simply does not know how to feed instinctively straight away, you may find yourself with the task of teaching your baby to latch on properly. This seems to be a rather rare expertise and not necessarily known by those who might be expected to have the knowledge. Many mothers who have contacted me have been told by midwives that their babies are latched on properly only to find that the pain they have been experiencing continues. If it hurts there is something wrong. Suckling involves two actions on the part of the baby: suction with lips and tongue to hold the nipple and areola in its mouth in the correct position and milking the breast with the tongue and lower jaw to obtain the milk from the ducts where it is stored. The breast has to be well into the baby’s mouth for the jaw to work and draw out the milk. If the nipple only is taken - which the mother may expect if she has only seen bottle feeding - it will hurt and the baby will not be satisfied. The breast has to be stimulated correctly for the milk to flow, otherwise it would come out when you didn’t want it to... To begin with the baby needs to be held horizontally, body in line with the head thereby supporting the back of the neck, facing and close to the mother’s body, usually resting along the forearm. The back of the head must not be touched and left free to move so the baby knows it can breathe. Some mothers are told to push the baby onto the breast. This can end up with a distraught baby who wants to feed but is afraid that he won’t be able to breathe. He needs to be held very close with the nipple pointing to the roof of his mouth, apparently pointing up his nose. Then he can take in the breast with a tip tilt head motion which is characteristic of latching onto the breast with a greater part of the lower breast being taken into the baby’s mouth. | ||
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CATHERINE HOLLAND Tel: 0701 7415310 Email: catherine@catherineholland.co.uk | |
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