6 Tips for Getting Your Baby To Latch Properly

When you breastfeed or chestfeed, the latch is the moment everything comes together: Your baby takes a big mouthful of your nipple and areola, begins to suck, and draws out your milk.  But getting there can be harder than many new parents expect. If your baby's latch is poor, they can get less milk and you can experience more discomfort. So how do you get your baby to latch properly?

If things haven't been going as smoothly as you had hoped, have faith in yourself and your baby. After all, infants are designed for this, says Emily Pease, RN, an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) with Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. "They are born with instincts that help them find [the nipple] and latch on, often with very little assistance," says Pease. "And if problems do come up, there are lots of ways to troubleshoot."

Here are six expert-sourced breastfeeding tips to get your baby to latch properly from the start, and correct problems as they arise.

1. Take a Class

Before your baby arrives, take a breastfeeding class at your local hospital or birthing center, or attend a meeting hosted by La Leche League International (LLLI). When you're expecting, teachers will demonstrate how to get your baby to latch with videos or dolls. After you've had your baby, it's worth going to these classes for guidance and advice.

As a bonus, these classes can allow you to connect with other new parents, providing an invaluable community and additional resources if you have questions or problems with feeding.

People who bind their chest or have had top surgery will also want to speak to their health care providers or lactation consultants about how to navigate any challenges that may arise while chestfeeding. You may want to learn more about increasing milk production with medications, supplementing if necessary, or finding emotional support.

2. Get Comfortable

To nurse successfully, find a relaxed position you can stay in for a while. Consider a slightly reclined position in which your shoulders, neck, and arms are supported, while the baby lies prone on your belly. Research shows that "laid-back breastfeeding" is linked to a better latch and less nipple pain for nursing parents.

A reclined position allows baby to use their hands, lift and turn their head, and nestle their chin into your chest—all helpful for a good latch. If you have someone around to help, ask them to hold the baby while you're getting settled, hand you a pillow or two, and make sure your water bottle is full.

3. Start ASAP

Ideally, breastfeeding begins right after birth; most full-term babies are ready to feed within 30 minutes to two hours after birth. The earlier you start breastfeeding, the more easily your baby will latch on, which will help keep your milk supply strong.

"Right from the very beginning, a baby's natural reflex is to crawl up to [your chest on their] own and start nursing," says Agnes Pedicino, an IBCLC with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. "When you put your baby's bare skin on your bare skin, you help those reflexes kick in."

That first feed isn't always possible immediately after birth, but that doesn't mean hope is lost. Even if you had to separate from your baby for a bit after their birth, you both still benefit from skin-to-skin contact (along with your smell and touch), which can bring your baby right back to nuzzling and rooting for your nipple.

4. Set Your Baby Up for Success

Begin by placing your baby on your bare torso, with their cheeks and chin touching your chest. Put your hand on their upper back and neck to steady them. If this is your first time breastfeeding, encourage their interest in your nipple by expressing a little colostrum (your first milk): Rub your thumb across the nipple, and gently compress your areola.

Ideally, your baby's bottom lip will be right around the base of the areola, with their nose opposite your nipple. When they smell the colostrum, they will likely bury their chin into you, open their mouth, and latch on.

"Your mammary glands are located behind the areola," explains Pedicino. "You want your baby's mouth covering most of the bottom of your areola and some of the top—not just your nipple—so that those glands are stimulated when they suck."

If your breast is large or your baby's mouth is small, try compressing your breast into a sort of nipple sandwich: Cup it in a U-hold so your fingers are parallel to your baby's lips and gently squeeze, as you would if you were pressing down on a sandwich you're about to bite into. This makes your breast into a smaller mouthful for your baby.

5. Know the Signs of a Good Latch

You can rest assured that your baby is latching well if you feel a satisfying pulling or tugging sensation on your breast.

You'll also want to look for signs of swallowing. Their temple and lower jaw should move rhythmically, and you should occasionally hear a breathy aah sound, which is the sound of your baby exhaling after they swallow. (Keep in mind that your baby won't swallow that much when you're producing colostrum, as there's not much fluid.)

Ideally, your baby's lips will be flanged like a fish or an open flower around your nipple and areola. If their lips are tucked under, it can make your nipples sore.

6. Don't Ignore Problems

It's natural to want to soldier on with breastfeeding even if you feel it's not going well. But it's important to identify feeding issues as early as possible. Here are some signs that your baby might have problems latching on:

• Pain persists during feedings. It's common to feel a little soreness or tenderness as you begin breastfeeding, "but you shouldn't feel pinching or biting, and any soreness shouldn't last the entire feeding," says Pease.
• Your nipples are injured. "If it's compressed, cracked, or bleeding, that's not normal," says Pedicino.
• Your baby lets go of your breast repeatedly during feedings. This can be an indication that they aren't satisfied with the amount of milk they are getting.

If you notice those things—or if something just seems off—contact a lactation consultant, health care provider, or support group. Sometimes physical issues can interfere with a baby's ability to feed, and an expert can help. "Maybe your baby is biting or has a tight jaw, or perhaps you have flat or inverted nipples," says Pease. "There are things we can do to help. If there's a problem, let's figure out how to fix it!"