What is Latching?
Latching is a vital part in breastfeeding. The proper latch allows your baby to drink effectively and efficiently draw enough milk from your breast. If the latch is not right, it causes nipple pain that in turn will make nursing difficult for mom.
It’s common for mothers to give up hope, especially for those who are struggling to get the perfect latch. But remember, babies are born with the instinctive drive to find the breast – their food – immediately after birth.
Basic steps
All you need to do is to be patient and follow these steps:
- Before nursing, make sure baby’s mouth is wide open as he/she latches on.
- Hold your breast with your hand so that your nipple is accessible to your baby to latch on.
- Guide your baby by bringing your breast close to his/her mouth. Try your best to center your nipple for proper latching.
- Check if your baby’s lips are flanged out like fish lips. If not, use your finger to pull the bottom lip to open up her mouth.
- Make sure that her nose is almost touching your breast.
- Once the baby starts to suckle, you should not feel any pain.
If the above-mentioned tips don’t work and baby still has not learned how to properly latch, consult a lactation expert to check if baby has tongue-tie or other conditions that will require medical intervention.