This post is a guest post from our friends at breastfeedo.com.
The best positions to breastfeed while you are in bed are:
• The laid-back breastfeeding
• The side by side nursing position
Let’s start with the most popular one: The biological nurturing or The laid-back breastfeeding position.
The laid-back breastfeeding position
Diagram source Breastfeedo.com
For new moms, it is one of the best positions of breastfeeding…Why?
• It is so comfortable as it looks like when you fall asleep or watch TV.
• You don’t much assistance for your baby in latching.
• No pillows needed “except the ordinary one behind your head and neck.”
• Baby can latch himself naturally while laid back nursing.
• Laid back breastfeeding could be implemented after delivery.
Regarding the last 2 points, it is easy for your breastfed baby to find your breast and start to get his milk, even after one hour of delivery.
The self-latching is supported by the dark color of your nipples where your baby can recognize.
Besides, there is a normal baby reflex called stepping reflex.
Stepping reflex happened when baby’s leg touches a hard surface “such as your thigh” he tends to push himself on the opposite side.
Skin to skin contact is high during the fantastic laid back feeding. Place your baby tummy to tummy, and he may be positioned vertically or horizontally.
The skin to skin contact also provides lactating women with higher prolactin levels ” lactation hormones ” which affect your breast milk supply positively.
In laid-back breastfeeding, you are considered as a comfortable pillow for your breastfed baby with your abdomen and arms.
Take care
You shouldn’t lie flat on your back. That may affect your blood supply due to your baby’s weight compresses some vital blood vessels.
Also, being flat would make you raise your head to every single time you want to get eye contact with your baby. This would stimulate neck pain later.
Instead, you should position yourself in a semi-reclined posture where your body is slightly tilted “25 degrees or more.”
What about C-section moms? Can they breastfeed while laid back?
Absolutely yes.
The main point is to keep your breastfed baby away from the c-section wound. How?
This could be done by changing the baby position from vertical to horizontal as we said before. Add on that, you can apply laid-back breastfeeding for your twins the same way.
Diagram source Breastfeedo.com
Side lying nursing
In this breastfeeding in bed position, you need to use 2 pillows at least to support:
1 Your head and neck
2 Your knees “in between”
Also, you may use one more pillow to help your baby’s back while breastfeeding in side lying position.
Note Sometimes, a rolled blanket is used instead of the pillow.
Diagram source Breastfeedo.com
Where are your arms during the side-lying nursing position in bed?
One arm is above baby’s head.
The second one is used to support your baby’s head, and neck to get him latching properly, especially at the beginning of latching process, or during the first 2 months of baby’s life.
Later, when your baby is getting older, he would be able to latch himself without much assistance from your side.
Another latching tip
Your breast is thick and wide enough to make the process of latching difficult for your newborn.
To help your baby with the wide and deep latch, use your free hand to compress “sandwich” your breast to ease the baby latching process while side lying nursing.
By doing that, you minimize the breast area which makes the latching process smoother especially if you have large breasts.
Belly to belly
Try to keep this contact between both of you. That keeps your baby more secured. Generally, skin to skin contact is a natural and effective way to increase your breast milk supply.
The v shape
One of the good latching signs while side by side nursing is the V shape formed between your body and your baby’s one, where both of your baby legs with your abdomen are the base of the V letter.
While both of your trunk and baby’s body are forming the arms of v letter.
It is the nursing position of pillows
Unlike any other breastfeeding position, you need to support your body to avoid further pain and skeletal complications.
Your neck and head should be in a comfortable position while nursing.
And remember, any type of pain may affect your breastfeeding negatively. How?
It is all about how your brain memorizes your breastfeeding experience. If these memories are full of pain and suffering, naturally you would try to escape that feeling by:
• Neglecting one or more breastfeeding session.
• Try to replace breastfeeding session with a pacifier.
• Or starting the formula feeding.
Thus, feeling pain is one of the most frequent causes of quitting breastfeeding earlier than recommended.
When should you avoid side by side nursing?
If your baby is suffering from GERD “Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease”. Side lying nursing, in this case, may harm your baby where he may get chocked with the vomited milk “regurgitation.”
Any reclining or semi-reclining nursing position shouldn’t be the first choice in case of GERD. Try the upright nursing positions “cradle and cross cradle or Koala hold” to ensure the role of gravity towards the baby’s stomach content.
Diagram source Breastfeedo.com