Overwhelmed with all the information out there on latching and positioning? So are we! You’ll find a ton of different advice because every mom and baby is different, and finding the right positioning for you and your baby is your own journey. We’ve done our best to filter the confusion down to a few go-to resources we like. What works for you might not work for others and visa versa…here at Kodiak KINDNESS we learn something new from every mom and baby we work with. The best way to learn to latch is by practicing with your own baby, and there is no one “right” position to use. It is more important how your baby’s latch feels to you and if your baby is drinking adequate milk volume (proven by weight gain and poop & pee output) than what it looks like. Here are some videos you can watch on mothers using various ways to latch their infants. And in case it helps to have printed info available as you’re trying to latch, here are downloadable PDFs on Mother-Led Latching and a Baby-Led Latching.
Every mother’s nipples are different, even from left to right breast on the same mom. All that matters to your baby is that they can get a wide mouthful of your breast in order to stretch your nipple back in their mouth and drink your delicious milk. Your baby doesn’t care how big or small or what shape your nipple is. There is a “suck trigger” spot on the roof of your baby’s mouth. If you gently insert your finger, a pacifier, your nipple or even someone’s nose (if it fits!) in your baby’s mouth and it touches that spot, your baby will suckle whatever it is far back into their mouth in hopes some milk comes out. So, if you have flat or inverted nipples, it may help if you pump with a hand pump or use your fingers to stretch your nipple out just before you try latching to help your nipple reach that suck-trigger spot. Try this especially if your baby roots/opens wide, sucks a couple of times but then falls back off your breast. To maintain a sustained suck-swallow-breathe drinking cycle, your nipple has to get stretched back as far as your baby’s soft palate. If you are considering using a nipple shield. please read our post on nipple shield use. It is best to seek professional help if you are planning to use a nipple shield.
If your latching issues are not resolving, please contact us for a home visit and/or seek hands on help.
DISCLAIMER: We know when you surf the web for information, you can get conflicting results, and it’s not easy to know whether you are finding evidence-based, high quality recommendations. That’s part of our job here at Kodiak KINDNESS; we are here to support your informed decisions about infant feeding through your baby’s first year. We’ve done some background work, and to the best of our knowledge, this post reflects current best practices. However, the information contained in this post and any links contained herein is for your informational use only; it is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Furthermore, Kodiak KINDNESS is not responsible for the accuracy of any information contained in this post or links contained herein; it is for you to review at your own risk and discuss, as needed, with your health care professional in order to make a plan that suits your individual circumstances.