Latching

The obstetrician, but especially the maternity nurse will help you during the first few days with the latching of your baby.

IMPORTANT WHEN LATCHING:

• Maintain a comfortable position in a quiet environment.
• The baby lies with the tummy against your stomach.
• Support your baby at the shoulders and hips
• The upper lip/nose is at the level of the nipple.
• The baby's head and back are in a straight line; the baby does not have to turn its head.
• When the baby opens its mouth wide to suck, pull it closer to you (as if you were giving someone a big hug).
• The baby sucks the nipple to the back of his mouth, whereby a large part of the areola is also taken in his mouth.
• The lips are curled outwards.
• The cheeks are round.
• You don't have to squeeze your chest to keep the nose clear.
• The latch may be sensitive at the beginning of the feeding, it should decrease after that.

If the baby sucks efficiently, your baby can drink until he falls asleep or releases the breast itself. An efficient sucking rhythm starts with a few short sucking movements in quick succession to induce the milk flow. After that, the baby will move on to longer, deeper gulps.

During a feeding, a baby can take breaks on his own and then start again with those shorter sucking movements. When the baby is ready on the first breast, always offer the other breast (especially during the first few days), possibly after a burp and a diaper change. Usually, the baby will start drinking efficiently on the second breast. How long a baby feeds from a breast depends on its drinking behavior and not on the clock.

Inefficient drinking is when a baby is sucking at the nipple or only making short sucking movements, so he doesn't get to the real drinking. In that case, the baby should be “uncoupled” to avoid cracked nipples. With your little finger in the corner of the baby's mouth, you break the vacuum, and the baby can easily be removed from the breast. If you don't break the vacuum and simply pull the baby off, it hurts and your nipples break.

Breastfeeding and latching on the baby are things you have to learn. Take your time! Sometimes it means that you must latch several times during one feeding. This is normal and it doesn't matter.

During the first few days, your breasts are not under so much tension and you and your baby can practice latching. Practice makes perfect! Proper latching reduces the chance of cracked nipples. It is normal for your nipples to be sore for the first few minutes as muscles in the nipple are stretched. When the milk pours in, this feeling subsides again.

If the tenderness does not subside and the feeding hurts, remove your baby from the breast and latch again. Over the course of the first week, your nipples will get used to the feeding and latching will no longer be painful. If this does remain the case, ask if a lactation consultant can come and have a look at a feeding. There is a good chance that the pain is caused by the baby not grasping the breast in the right way.