LivingBreastfeeding: How to get a good latch on your...
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Breastfeeding: How to get a good latch on your baby when breastfeeding

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We already know that breastfeeding can hurt, but it shouldn’t hurt. One of the causes of chest pain and / or the appearance of cracks in the nipple can be a poor grip during suction. Therefore, a correct “latch on” of the baby to the breast is key to start breastfeeding on the right foot.

A good grip implies a total insertion and the placement of the nipple close to the baby’s soft palate, at the back of the oral cavity (“comfort zone”, which we can easily find in our mouth with our tongue, touching the palate). In these cases, the suction is more effective and does not cause pain to the mother. The nipple is not visible around the baby’s mouth, which occupies a large part of the mammary areola.

On the contrary, there would be difficulties if the nipple is mid-height , under the hard palate, near the entrance of the mouth. The mother’s nipple can be partially seen, as the baby’s mouth does not cover it completely. Then we would have a shallow grip , whereby the nipple rubs against the hard palate, which can cause discomfort and pain to the mother as time passes and the baby continues to nurse in this way.

For a good latch, the baby should insert a good part of the areola into the mouth, with the lower lip and jaw covering most of the lower part of the areola.

Keys to a good latch on when breastfeeding your baby

  • The position of the baby : whichever position you choose, make sure that the baby’s head, neck and spine are straight and that his chin is pointed slightly upwards, and not downwards (towards his chest).
  • Get comfortable: If it is more comfortable, you can use pillows or cushions to support your back and arms.
  • Stimulate the baby with the nipple : if you gently place the nipple close to his lips, the baby will instinctively open his mouth to suckle.
  • Bring the baby closer to your breast : keep your baby well attached, with the chin always in contact with the breast. Even the nose is attached to the chest, but the baby learns to coordinate breathing with swallowing.
  • Observe the suction : you will feel a slight tug on the nipple that should not hurt and you will see that the baby moves his jaw during the suction and swallowing.

If it hurts, or you notice that the baby is not well latched on to the breast, remove it and try again. If necessary, you can gently insert a clean finger into one corner of the mouth to break the suction.

In this way we will achieve that there is a good grip on the baby during the suction when sucking , as this video shows us in a very illustrative way.

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