Positions for Breastfeeding

Kinds of Breastfeeding Positions

Cradle Position - While resting your arm on an arm of a rocking chair you can easily breastfeed and rock your infant in the cradle position. You can use your bent leg as an extra support as well. Simply line your baby's mouth with your nipple and face them towards you, resting their head on the inside of your arm's elbow on the same side of the breast that you will be feeding them with. You can cup their bottom, with either hand as your baby get bigger you may find that you need to support them with your other arm that their head is not resting on.

Clutch or Football Position - This breastfeeding position is ideal for moms who had to have a c-section because it allows a mom the ability to breastfeed their child without having to rest their baby on their healing incision. Turn your baby towards you so their feet will curve around your body, having a nursing pillow can help accomplish this position a lot more easily.

Cross-cradle Position - Similar to the cradle and clutch position the cross-cradle position has you using one arm to support your baby and in this case with the opposite arm of the side of the breast that you are using to breastfeed your infant. Once again while you baby is young you will be able to do this more easily, as your baby grows in length and puts on weight you may decide to use a nursing pillow to assist you.

Side-lying Position - This position is great for late night, early morning and those middle of the night feedings that your infant needs. Lie down next to your baby so that they are lined up with your breast. Turn to your side and turn them on their side facing you, using the arm you are not laying on you can keep them in place while they suckle, you can turn your body so you can nurse them with either breast. This position can be very comfortable for both mommy and baby.

Now while you can use all of these breastfeeding positions when you are feeding your newborn when your infant can sit up you can use another position when you are feeding them.

Saddle Position - Once your baby is able to sit up you can set them on your knee facing your breast and nurse them while they sit up, holding their torso is a good idea for both their safety and the avoidances of accidentally pulling on the nipple.

There are other nursing positions that exist that can be good for tandem nursing and when you are breastfeeding your multiples.

See Pictures of Breastfeeding Positions on About.com