Taken from our brand new Cornwall Essential guide to feeding and caring for your baby, here are details on one of the most popular breastfeeding positions, the cradle.
There are several ways to hold a baby to breastfeed, and we hope you find this guide to them useful – but it is important to note that all of them have things in common:
- The position must be comfortable for you to stay in throughout the feed.
- The baby needs to be held close to your body, facing your breast.
- The baby’s head, neck and body all need to be in a straight line (head and neck not twisted).
- The baby’s nose should be opposite your nipple at the start.
- The baby’s head must be free to tilt backwards as he is brought into the breast.
If you are in a chair or sitting up in bed, you will probably find it more comfortable to lean back onto pillows or cushions. That will make sure your back is well-supported. Your baby can use your soft post-birth tummy as a built-in pillow to rest on while they feed!
Cradle
The position most mums use instinctively
Your hand needs to be supporting your baby’s shoulders. Make sure he is free to tilt his head back out over your wrist.
Some mums find it helpful to shape the breast. Make a ‘burger’ shape between index and middle fingers so your baby can take a big mouthful.
“ I love using the cradle hold so that you can cuddle up,
they don’t stay cuddly for long – make the most of it!”
Karen, mum of Joel
I appreciate you sharing the techniques that I can use next time. Because I had no knowledge about breastfeeding when my baby was born. But this post is really helpful to me, I can still do my best with my second child. Thanks there!