Breastfeeding is a process that has many nuances, subtleties and secrets. Agree: there is no such young mother who at first does not complain about pain while feeding her baby, cracks in her nipples and other problems associated with feeding. What causes these complaints? The first is ignorance of the basic rules of feeding and lack of experience. This is what the discussion will be about in this article: how to properly attach a baby to the chest.
For the first time, a woman should be introduced to the basics of breastfeeding after childbirth immediately in the maternity hospital. There are special consultants whose duties are to tell and show everything, to unfasten the breast and give answers to all questions of the newly made mother. However, the reality is somewhat different, and some modern doctors do not want to spend time on this kind of "nonsense." That is why it is better to understand everything yourself and know what to do.
First of all, you need to learn how to properly attach the baby to the chest, and the child, in turn, to properly grab it. Often there are situations when, after the birth of a baby, they are taken from the mother and fed with the help of a nipple. This can cause the baby to get used to the bottle and to the temporary inability to open his mouth wide for proper grip of the chest. Over time, of course, he will relearn, and everything will fall into place. The main thing is proper attachment.
What is called proper breast grab?
Do not think that at the sight and smell of breast and milk, the baby will properly cling to his chest and begin to eat. In order not to ask how to properly apply the child, you need to know the following rules:
- The thumb should be located above the nipple, and the entire palm - under the chest.
- Touch the nipple to the lower lip of the baby and wait until it opens its mouth as wide as possible. After that, put the nipple into the baby’s mouth as deep as possible. Remember that it is a deep nesting of the areola that provides the most correct capture.
- The capture was made correctly if the child rests on the chest with his nose and chin.
- Do not think that with your nose resting on your chest, the child will have nothing to breathe! This is a big misconception, and by making a dimple with a forefinger in the nipple, you increase the chances of lactostasis and nipple injury (cracking).
How to apply a child without pain, you ask? At first - nothing, but with the right grip, the pain is felt only a couple of seconds, after which the sucking becomes pleasant. If the pain persists, the baby does not grab the chest properly. In this case, you need to pick up the chest (insert the little finger into the corner of the mouth, open the gums and pull out the nipple). Then the chest is given again.
Another phenomenon indicating improper grip of the nipple is smacking. When the baby releases her breasts, pay attention to the nipple. If everything is correct, it should be stretched out somewhere twice as usual, if the nipple is flattened - the grip is again incorrect.
If you have at least a shadow of doubt about the correct grip, take the chest away and give again.
Two of the most common mistakes when feeding specialists consider improper support for the child and the capture of “scissors”.
As for the support and position of the child, he should lie on his side, pressing his belly against his mother’s stomach. Thus, the baby will correctly capture the breast and will stimulate the production of milk. In addition, his tummy will be warmed, and milk is properly absorbed by the small digestive system. The most popular feeding position is called the “cradle”.
Hand grip also plays a big role. As mentioned above, the chest is inserted into the arm like a cup with the thumb at the top and the rest under the chest.
We hope this article will help you establish breastfeeding on your own, since now you know how to properly place the baby on the chest. And by the way, the best advisers are friends who have already gone through this and are ready to share their invaluable experience.