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How can I help my baby get a better latch?
These tips help you get a good latch—and know if you have one.
- Tickle your baby’s lips with your nipple. This will help baby open their mouth wide.
- Aim your nipple just above your baby’s top lip. Make sure your baby’s chin isn’t tucked into their chest.
- Aim your baby’s lower lip away from the base of your nipple.
How do I get my baby to latch on after birth?
Here’s how to get that latch going: Hold your baby facing your breasts, with the front of her body facing yours, tummy to tummy. Her head should be in line with the rest of her body, not turned, to make swallowing easier. Tickle baby’s lip with your nipple to encourage baby to open very wide, like a yawn.
How do you get a lazy baby to latch on?
Some babies latch on by themselves if you lean back and relax in a warm bath together, baby on your chest. Use a baby sling or carrier to keep your baby close between feedings. Keep the process happy. Play at nursing rather than working at nursing.
Why is my baby having a hard time latching?
If the skin on your breasts becomes tight and your nipples flatten out, your baby may have a hard time latching on. You can soften up the skin around your nipples and areola by pumping or hand expressing a little breast milk before you begin to breastfeed. This will make it easier for your baby to latch on.
How do I know if my baby is latched on properly?
There are signs of ineffective sucking in the baby who: Latches on and then lets go of the breast often during the feeding. Falls asleep within five minutes of latch-on or after sucking two or three minutes. Does not suck regularly for the first seven to 10 minutes of a feeding.
What does a good latch feel like?
A proper latch should feel like a pull/tugging sensation, not painful, pinching or clamping down (and definitely not “toe-curling, worse than labor, can’t stand this another second” pain). Is baby’s mouth wide open at the corner of her lips? This is also a good sign!