Proper positioning of the baby for breastfeeding is important both for your own comfort and for proper latch-on.
The baby should be positioned so that her head is facing the breast directly. There are several positions you can use to hold the baby. The most common ones are with the mother sitting up or semi-reclined.
The most important thing is that you relax and are comfortable, and bring the baby to you; don’t lean over and bring yourself to the baby.
You also want to be sure that the baby’s chest is facing yours, not the ceiling.
Cradle hold
The most common position is with your baby’s head on your forearm near the elbow and her bottom near your hand. The baby will be lying across your body with her mouth facing your breast. Using this position, it is sometimes difficult to control your baby’s head, especially when you are first breastfeeding. It may be more useful once you are more used to breastfeeding. In this position, you also have to use your free hand to position the opposite breast and nipple.
Cross-cradle hold
This is very similar to the cradle hold, but gives you more control of your baby’s head. Here you also hold the baby across your body, but with her head in your hand and her bottom near your elbow. This allows you to position the baby’s head exactly, using your other hand to position your breast and nipple nearest to your free hand. This is generally a more comfortable position.
The clutch or football hold
Position the baby at your side, at a slight angle towards your body, using your hand to hold his head and your arm to support his body. This position is sometimes more comfortable for mothers who have had a c-section because the baby is not lying across your body.
Reclined or laid-back
There are two aspects to this position. One is the fact that you (the mother) are more reclined. The second is that the baby is lying on your chest and abdomen, with its head and mouth at your breast. This might be a more natural breastfeeding position. This position can be difficult if you had a c-section and it causes pain at your incision.
Lying down
You can also lie down with your baby lying next to you, facing you and lying in the same direction. Position your breast into her mouth. You can use either breast in this position.
In any of the seated positions, a pillow can be used to support your arm and the baby’s weight. This is usually very helpful, especially since the baby may nurse up to 45 minutes per side!