How to Latch Your Baby Properly for Breastfeeding?

There are no words that could describe the range of emotions a mother feels during childbirth. The feelings of cherishing new beginnings, hopes, and joys while holding your little one in your arms for the first feed. These moments form an unbreakable bond for a lifetime and thus it is important to do it right for the benefit of both baby and mom.  Vega Baby & Mom would like to help you navigate and succeed at proper breastfeeding with the right products and guidance.

To start with let’s first understand What is Latching

Latching is a process where the baby attaches itself to their mom’s breast for feeding on breastmilk. It this process the baby’s tongue extends over the lower gum, creating a suction around the nipple. This ensures a tight suction that helps the baby get milk from the breasts effectively Through this process, the baby gains immunity and nourishment for a better start to life. Don’t worry if you don’t have the perfect latch from the very first go. It is an acquired skill that both the baby and mom learn over time.

What factors affect a good breastfeeding latch?

The Nipple Situation – One of the most important aspect of a proper latch is if the nipple is in good condition. By condition we mean that it is not sore or painful for the mom while the baby latches on to the mother’s breast. Many moms also have flat or inverted nipples, that sometimes pose problem in a proper latch for breastfeeding. Well these situations can be handled well with the right products such as a Nipple Shield , that help breastfeed easily and in a pain-free way even if you have a sore or cracked nipple. The nipple puller, a remarkable breastfeeding accessory helps breastfeeding moms draw out inverted or flat nipples for better breastfeeding.

The Positioning- The positioning of the baby matters a lot. Babies cannot control their bodily movements on their own. The mom needs to place the baby close to their breast for the perfect latch. The position should be such so that the baby’s chin touches the lower part of the mom’s breast and the nose should be away from it. Your baby’s tongue should be rolled out and relaxed for a better latch.

Baby’s Developmental age – A proper latch depends on the baby’s developmental age as well. Premature babies have a hard time latching on to their mother’s breast. These preemies might not have the endurance and the coordination to suck, breathe and swallow milk at the same time. While breastmilk is essential for all babies be it pre-term or full-term babies, the moms should encourage babies to latch naturally, they should not do it forcibly. The other way to give babies breastmilk can be by using breast pumps till the babies latch properly for direct breastfeeding.

Mother’s Milk Supply  – The breastfeeding mother’s milk supply is one of the major factors for a proper latch. If the mom has a low or scanty breast milk supply, your baby will require more strength to get the milk. If the mom has an abundant milk supply, the breast can get engorged and pose a problem in latching and baby may slip the nipple more often.

While we are always there to help you through the different phases of your parenting journey, we also suggest you to take advice from the lactation experts if the problem persists for a long duration.