When it comes to most things parenting, we discourage striving for “perfection.” Instead, we’re quite fond of wonderfully unique imperfections — flaws are human, after all, and humans make the best parents!
When it comes to your breastfeeding latch and hold, however, “perfect” is the goal. We want you to practice perfection every time so that you know what correct positioning feels like. This ideal is crucial to breast comfort and health, Baby’s oral development and milk supply.
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The most fundamental aspects of successful breastfeeding are good latch and position:
- Baby should take most of the areola — or the dark part of the nipple — into his mouth.
- Good alignment is present when Baby’s tummy is to Mommy and his ear, shoulder and hip are in a straight line.
- Practice patience! Give Baby time to open wide to take in a mouthful of breast.
- If the latch seems shallow, lazy or uncomfortable…try again!
The learning curve for breastfeeding is 2-3 weeks. Stay calm and focused — you WILL get this! Before long, Mom and Baby will have a well-choreographed routine — sliding into “perfect” position with ease.