Skin to skin and latching

Skin-to-skin contact encourages both breastfeeding/chestfeeding and bonding in baby’s first days​

  • Relax in a comfortable position and lay baby on your bare chest in the first hour for skin-to-skin contact.​
  • Cover baby with blanket to keep warm​.
  • Make eye contact, talk, sing and enjoy your time together​.
  • It can be discouraging if your baby doesn’t latch immediately. Give them time, they are learning too.​
  • Continue skin-to-skin contact during your hospital stay and when you get back home. The more time you spend in skin-to-skin contact, the easier it will be for your baby to find the nipple and latch-on. Babies learn to breastfeed/chestfeed by being at the breast or chest.

Learning to latch takes time

  • Place your hand under your breast.
  • Use your nipple to tickle baby’s nose and lips.
  • Aim your nipple just above your baby’s top lip​.
  • Baby should lean into the breast/chest chin first and then latch onto your breast/chest.
  • Baby's mouth should be wide and take in some or all of the areola (the darker area around your nipple), and not just take in the nipple.
  • Listening for swallowing sounds can be helpful, but they are not always heard. Look for swallowing movements in your baby’s chin.
  • If you feel pain, break the suction with your finger and start over​.

Visit Droplets for information and watch videos on feeding your baby in the first hour, latching, hand expression, hands-on pumping, maximizing milk supply, and increasing mild supply. 

Visit the Institute for the Advancement of Breastfeeding & Lactation Education for videos on paced bottle-feeding, asymmetrical latch/sandwich hold, fitting breast pump flanges, cup feeding, and finger feeding.

Topics:
Breastfeeding | Family Health | Infant Health | Maternal Health | Pregnancy
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