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Baby Feeding » The Latch-On |
| If the feeding hurts initially, take our baby off the breast and start again. Your nipple should be the same round shape at the end of the feed as at the beginning. A flattened or ridged nipple means it wasn't far enough back into his mouth. To remove your baby, insert your little finger into his mouth to break the auction. When your baby comes towards the breast he or she should have a wide-open mouth to ensure he or she gets the areola, the dark area around the nipple, into his or her mouth. If he or she is only sucking on the nipple itself he or she will not be getting enough milk and you will find it painful. If he or she has latched on properly his or her ears will wriggle as he or she sucks and he or she will probably make swallowing noises as he or she gulps the milk at the beginning of the feed. His lips should be curled back and his cheeks should not be sucked in. |
| Following an initial burst of short sucks, your baby should switch into long, deep sucks. His or Her body should be relaxed, and he or she should have no difficulty breathing. His or Her nostrils are flared so that he or she can still breathe even when close to the breast, so there is no need to push your breast to give him breathing space. Your baby won't suck continuously, but will pause every now and then; he'll or she'll start to feed again without any prompting. |
| The pauses will get longer and the sucking bursts shorter as the feed progresses until he or she finally lets go of the breast. Sometimes, he or she doesn't actually move away from your breast. If you are unsure if he's or she's had enough, raise your breast slightly to draw his or her chin in. If this stimulus doesn't draw a response from him or her, let him or her gently fall away from your breast. If he or she drops off the breast by him or her and is still awake you could try offering him or her the other breast to see if he or she is still hungry. |
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