Breastfeeding
At feeding time, your baby may not latch onto the breast right away, but take time to explore the nipple. in this case you could guide him towards the correct position of his mouth [read more about Breastfeeding: the correct position to attach to the breast] and entice him by letting a few drops of milk come out of the nipple.
The semi-reclined position is of great help when the baby is learning to breastfeed, when he can't latch on to the breast well, or when the mother's nipples hurt.
Get into a semi-reclined position (neither fully lying down nor fully seated) that makes you feel comfortable, with your back supported and relaxed; lay the baby on your stomach in the area that goes from the abdomen to the chest, making sure that it rests on the cheek, that the airways are free and that the neck, tummy and legs are in close contact with your body. In this way it is your body that supports the baby: your arms are free to move!
Some mothers find it helpful to support their baby's back and bottom with their hand or arm.
The football hold, also called underarm grip, allows you to improve a non-optimal attack and is useful in case of:
- fissures and / or sore nipples, since it helps the child to open his mouth better;
- short frenulum of the newborn;
- cesarean delivery, as it avoids pressure on the cut area;
- contractures and/or pain in the baby's shoulders, which can occur following a difficult birth.
The mother sits comfortably leaning her back, obtaining more space on one side: the child is placed on the mother's side with his face turned towards her, supported by the corresponding arm. The open hand supports the base of the neck and shoulders of the child, the forearm and the crook of the arm support the back and bottom. The legs, on the other hand, may be curled up or stretched out against the backrest. In this position it is the boy or girl who goes towards the mother and not vice versa. During the feeding some pillows can be useful to support the arm that supports the baby.
The dìside lying position is very popular, especially at night, because it allows the mother to rest and breastfeed the baby at the same time. This position is useful in the first postpartum period, especially in the case of caesarean section, as the newborn does not bear weight on the wound.
The mother lies down on one side, with her head resting on the pillow, and the arm corresponding to that side placed under the pillow or at the top. To fully enjoy the benefits of this position, it is advisable to place a second pillow behind your back for support. The baby is placed on its side next to the mother, with its nose at the level of the nipple of the breast resting on the bed, while the hand is placed behind the baby's shoulders, between the shoulder blades, so as to bring it closer to you.
Once the infant has achieved a deep and effective latch, a rolled up towel can be placed behind his back, to allow him to remain comfortably positioned on his side.
In the cross-cradle position, the mother is seated in a chair or armchair, with her feet firmly on the ground, her shoulders open and relaxed. When the mother is comfortably settled, she takes the baby in her arms, supporting him with the arm opposite the breast (contrary to what happens in the classic "cradle" position). The child's body is in front of the mother, supported by the forearm, which holds the column, the hand is wide open to support the head and shoulders, while the thumb and forefinger are at the base of the ears.
With the crossed position, mother and child are in close contact and there are no spaces between their bodies. Ears, shoulder and hip are aligned: the baby does not have to turn sideways to latch onto the breast, since the body is already aligned. This position is useful for difficult latch-on, in infants with tucked in chin, and in infants who have poor muscle tone and weak suckling, as it allows for a deep latch.
What about mothers of twins? They can produce enough milk for two or even three babies, and twins can establish their preference for one breast, getting the milk supply that meets their needs. However, in the first few days, while the availability of milk is consolidating, it is advisable to alternate breasts for each baby.
After an initial period in which mother and newborns learn how to breastfeed individually, to save time on meals it is useful to feed both newborns at the same time, paying attention to the fact that one of the newborns may be weaker and eat less than the other.
By placing a large pillow or nursing pillow on your lap you can place both babies in a football hold position, with their heads turned in and supported by the hand on the side of the breast they are feeding on. An alternative to this feeding method is the semi-reclined position, which in turn allows the twins to be fed at the same time.
Twins don't necessarily have to assume the same position when they are breastfed at the same time: in fact, there are solutions that allow each newborn to determine their own way of "using" the breast. For example, one baby can be placed in a semi-reclined position and the other in a football hold position, or one can be placed in a "cradle" and the other in a football hold position.
The anti-reflux positions
Reflux is a rather common phenomenon that can make life difficult for the child and the parents in the first months of life. Some precautions during the feed can be useful to alleviate the symptoms.
To be able to reduce reflux it is good to prefer positions in which the baby is supported in an upright position, so that gravity helps prevent the milk from flowing back, for example by adopting the semi-reclined position. It will be good to avoid any position that compresses the stomach during and after the meal. While to keep the baby upright at the end of the feed it may be useful to use a sling, which is also convenient for breastfeeding when you are away from home.
The one defined as "astride" is excellent as an anti-reflux position: the mother settles on a chair or an armchair, while the baby is seated on the mother's leg corresponding to the offered breast and with the hand wide open, positioned at the base of the neck, support the baby's head and shoulders. If the position is not comfortable, it may be helpful to place a rolled up towel between the mother's and baby's bodies. Usually this position and its variants are not suitable for a newborn and are effective when the child is older and can better control the sitting position, around 4 months.
How to bottle feed?
With one arm surrounds the little one and with the other you hold the bottle.
If necessary, place the baby on a pillow to raise him a little and make his movements easier.
The bottle should be held in an almost horizontal position, tilting it just enough to ensure that a minimum of milk reaches the baby. It doesn't matter if the teat is not full. During the feed, let the baby take short breaks, as usually happens at the breast [learn more about Breastfeeding: how to offer the bottle].