What position should I use for breastfeeding?

If you’re trying to find out what position you should use for breastfeeding, the answer is as follows: trial and error. There are so many different ways you can breastfeed your baby, and you won't know what works for you until you give them all a shot.

When we typically think of women breastfeeding, many of us picture them feeding their babies by holding them in their arms as if they were rocking them to sleep. Many mothers enjoy this position while sitting in a rocking chair or a glider in the baby’s nursery.

Simply put a pillow or two behind you and recline while holding your baby in your arms. Unlike sitting in a rocking chair, a main advantage of sitting in bed while nursing your baby is that you can sink into your bed and feel very comfortable. If you’re feeling good, your baby will pick up on this. For women who have an extra fast and powerful milk flow, many experts recommend reclining on pillows while in bed and having the baby drink against the flow of gravity.

The football hold essentially entails holding your baby by the side of your body as you would hold a football while running down the field for a touchdown. The main advantage of the football hold is that your other arm is free to tend to other low-key tasks like using the remote control or sending a text message.

If it works for you and your baby, breastfeeding while lying in bed can be really efficient. Not only does it mean that you can sleep while feeding your son or daughter, but it also means that your baby can nurse on demand and get all the breast milk he or she needs to thrive. But back to the idea of being able to sleep while feeding your child: This is reason enough for it to be a favourite position. New parents are so sleep deprived that anything they can do to get some extra shut-eye is genius.

One important thing to keep in mind when determining what position to choose for breastfeeding is that a nursing pillow can make breastfeeding way more comfortable.