| C | Close to mum - so that baby can scoop enough breast into the mouth |
| H | Head free – when attaching to the breast the baby will tilt his/her head back to allow the chin to lead as he/she comes to the breast |
| I | In a line – baby’s head and body should be in alignment so that he/she doesn’t have to twist the neck which would make swallowing difficult |
| N | Nose to nipple – with your nipple resting just below baby’s nose, he/she will begin to root and as the head tilts backwards the nipple will slip under the top lip upwards and backwards to rest at the junction of the hard and soft palate |
Support for Breastfeeding
It’s important to find a position that is comfortable and suits you – in the early days you may need to experiment until you find the most comfortable position for both you and baby.
Maternity staff will help you get off to the best start feeding your baby.
Maternity staff will help you get off to the best start feeding your baby.
Key points to help how you hold your baby to get started:
Attaching your baby to the breast
It's important for your baby to be well attached to the breast as this will help him/her to get enough milk and will also minimise the risk of you becoming sore or developing problems.
Signs to look for to let you know your baby is well attached to the breast:
Signs to look for to let you know your baby is well attached to the breast:
| Baby’s mouth is wide open as he/she starts to attach to the breast | Initially baby sucks rapidly changing to longer sucks and swallows with short pauses |
| More of the darker skin will be showing above the baby’s top lip | Feeding should feel comfortable after the first few minutes |
| Baby’s chin is pressed into the breast with the nose free | Wet and dirty nappies increase in number from birth until there are lots by day 5 |
| Baby’s cheeks should be rounded and not sucked in during feeding | Baby who is well attached is likely to be more content and stay on the breast |
Responsive Breastfeeding
This means initiating feeds when your baby shows feeding cues, or if baby needs to be comforted or calmed if upset. You can also decide it’s time to feed your baby if your breasts are full or if you just need to sit and rest. You can’t overfeed your breastfed baby. The relationship between mother and baby breastfeeding is more than just giving milk – it is about closeness and helping baby to feel safe and secure.
Read more about this in Building a Happy Baby.
Read more about this in Building a Happy Baby.
Expressing breast milk
There may be some occasions when it may be helpful to express some breastmilk. Please refer to Off to a Good Start p50-53 for more detailed information.
Expressing milk is a useful skill to learn as it can be helpful in a number of situations such as:
Expressing milk is a useful skill to learn as it can be helpful in a number of situations such as:
- Obtaining colostrum in the first few days after birth if your baby is unable to feed at the breast
- Dealing with a blocked duct
- Helping to soften full breasts to make it easier for baby to attach
- Helping tempt baby to feed by encouraging the milk to flow
- Watch a short film from Unicef on hand expressing