Breastfeeding positions
and Sabine Schrör, medical journalist Updated onNicole Wendler holds a PhD in biology in the field of oncology and immunology. As a medical editor, author and proofreader, she works for various publishers, for whom she presents complex and extensive medical issues in a simple, concise and logical manner.
More about the expertsSabine Schrör is a freelance writer for the medical team. She studied business administration and public relations in Cologne. As a freelance editor, she has been at home in a wide variety of industries for more than 15 years. Health is one of her favorite subjects.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.Comfortable breastfeeding positions are not only important for relaxed breastfeeding - with the right posture you can even avoid painful breastfeeding problems such as sore nipples and breast infections or back pain. Read here which breastfeeding positions there are, why it makes sense to vary and which posture is particularly comfortable in which situation.
The right breastfeeding position
Unfavorable breastfeeding positions can cause breastfeeding problems and quickly turn the intimate time between mother and child into torture. It is not uncommon for mothers to breastfeed for this reason. It doesn't have to be. The correct breastfeeding position can also bring relaxation to the mother.
You have to try out which of the numerous breastfeeding positions you feel most comfortable in. The midwife can help you practice the different breastfeeding positions. You should learn several variants in order to be flexible. But not only the correct breastfeeding position, but also a pleasant and calm environment are important. Set up a cozy corner where everything you need is close at hand.
What are the breastfeeding positions?
The right breastfeeding position can be found for every situation and every need:
- Lying down breastfeeding: lying on your side, lying on your back, leaning back
- Sitting breastfeeding positions: cradle posture, back grip (football position)
- Special breastfeeding positions: cross handle, Hoppe rider seat, quadruped stand
Not all breastfeeding positions are equally comfortable, especially after a caesarean section. Breastfeeding positions with nursing pillows or positions in which the child does not press on the scar are preferred. There are also suitable breastfeeding positions for premature babies and twins.
- Caesarean section breastfeeding positions: football position, supine position
- Breastfeeding positions for premature babies: supine position, Hoppe-rider position
Twin mothers are in a special position that they sometimes have to feed both babies at the same time. You can read about breastfeeding positions and what else you need to know in the article Breastfeeding twins.
Sitting breastfeeding positions
One of the most common breastfeeding positions - especially during the day - is sitting. No matter where you are, there is always a chair or bench. There are numerous variants for sitting breastfeeding positions.
Cradle
In the classic cradle grip, the child rests in the mother's arms, pressed close to the stomach. The hand holds the child's bottom and thighs while the small head rests in the bend of the elbow. The free hand supports the chest. At home, you can take it easy with a sofa or nursing pillow. The smaller the baby, the more you have to inferior.
Cross handle
With the cross handle (cross-cradle handle) - unlike the cradle handle - the child's head rest in the hand and the legs on the mother's elbow. Pillows or nursing pillows help keep the baby at the right height. In this position, the head can easily be brought to the nipple. This makes the cross handle one of the breastfeeding positions that are particularly suitable for babies who have trouble putting on.
Hoppe-Reiter seat
In the Hoppe-Reiter position, the baby sits upright in front of the mother's breast. Hold the child's head and back with one hand and the chest with the other. This posture is particularly comfortable for children who choke quickly, as well as for older children. This breastfeeding position can also work for premature babies.
Football or back grip
The term football posture is also used for the back grip. In this breastfeeding position, the baby is under your arm with their stomach resting at your side and the baby's legs pointing backwards. Hold your shoulders and head in your hand and support the baby's back with your forearm. So that you don't have to bend over, there should be enough pillows under the child and arm.
This is one of the best breastfeeding positions for feeding two babies at the same time. Even after a caesarean section, the back grip is felt to be comfortable, as the baby does not put any strain on the scar. If the milk builds up below the nipple, this breastfeeding position helps, as the child's lower jaw massages this region.
Breastfeeding while lying down
Women look for particularly relaxed breastfeeding positions, especially at night. If you are lying in bed and breastfeeding the baby, you can also take a little nap.
Breastfeeding on your side
At night, breastfeeding lying on your side is probably one of the most comfortable breastfeeding positions. With a pillow under your head, you and your child lie close to each other, facing each other. Another pillow in the back supports breastfeeding while lying down. The small head is below your armpit, directly at the level of the nipple. To change sides, it is sufficient to bend the upper body further towards the child or to roll slowly and carefully to the other side with the baby on the stomach.
Supine breastfeeding positions
If you want to breastfeed lying on your back in bed, you should raise your upper body slightly. This posture also works when leaning back on the sofa. In these half-lying breastfeeding positions ("laid-back-nursing") the baby is lying on its stomach, slightly diagonally above the mother's stomach, with its head resting on the chest.
In this way, the baby's sucking reflexes are easily triggered, and the little one can pick up the nipple with its mouth on its own. Shortly after the birth, this position is particularly comfortable for the newborn, as it reaches its destination with little effort and feels particularly secure thanks to a lot of body contact.
Even with a strong milk donor reflex when the baby chokes often, breastfeeding positions on the back make sense. Since the mother does not have to move much to change the breast side, this breastfeeding position is relatively painless after a caesarean section.
Good breastfeeding positions for weak babies
Weak babies in particular need breast milk. For them, the Hoppe-Reiter position and the prone position are good breastfeeding positions so that they can enjoy breast milk without great effort.
Babies with poor drinking as well as children with disabilities (such as trisomy 21 = Down syndrome) are helped in the described breastfeeding positions by the "DanCer" handle (developed by Danner and Cerutti). The thumb and index finger grip the child's lower jaw and the rest of the hand (little finger to ring finger) supports the chest.
Breastfeeding positions with blocked milk
With the right application technique, you can fix a blocked milk and prevent a breast infection:
Most of the milk in the female breast is around the nipple, about three centimeters apart. Here the baby can get there well with his chin when laying it on and massages the chest with his swallowing movements. The milk flows out first at the site of the massage. Only then do the remote regions empty. If hardenings form in the chest, you should therefore always position your child so that they work on this hard area with their chin. The milk flows out of the blocked area and the blocked milk subsides.
However, it is sometimes difficult to reach the affected area with the usual breastfeeding positions. A somewhat unusual, but in this case one of the most practical breastfeeding positions, is breastfeeding in the quadruped position. You can position your child under you so that their chin reaches the painful area of the chest.
Put it on correctly
Once you have found suitable breastfeeding positions for yourself, it is important to position the baby correctly. The infant is helped by its innate reflexes. From birth, the child instinctively knows how to find the nipple and how to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing.
Make sure that your baby is not just sucking on the nipple, but that his or her mouth surrounds the entire areola. This is the only way to create a sufficient vacuum.
By forming a "C" (C-grip) with your hand, you can support the chest and make it easier to put on. The child holds the nipple with its upper and lower jaw and presses it against the roof of the mouth with its tongue. The nose and chin touch the chest. It is not necessary to keep the child's nose free.
If you want to interrupt the breastfeeding process, do not simply pull your child away from the breast, as this irritates the nipples. Gently slide your finger into the corner of your baby's mouth. You can gently change sides in one of the breastfeeding positions or loosen a sleeping child from the breast.
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