Latching your baby onto the breast correctly is important for successful breastfeeding. Having your baby skin-to-skin with you is the ideal way to start.

It helps your baby find the breast and nipple.

Some babies can latch themselves without any help. They move their faces back and forth as they approach the breast, then open wide enough to grasp a large mouthful. Other babies may need gentle guidance to find the breast, without being forced to feed. This helps them latch and suckle.

Moms with larger breasts may need to support the breast with a hand to make it easier for the baby to latch - keeping fingers well back from the areola (the coloured part of the breast surrounding the nipple) so the baby is tucked in very close. Moms with smaller breasts may not need to do this.

A poor latch can cause sore nipples, a hungry baby and a smaller milk supply. If you feel pain when your baby's on the breast - pain that's not a passing discomfort following the first few sucks - you may have a poor latch. Gently remove your baby from the breast and start again. To take your baby off your breast and break the suction, gently place a finger in the corner of your baby's mouth.

Here's how to tell if your baby is well latched:

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• The initial latch may hurt but you shouldn't feel pain in the nipple area. You should feel a tug.
• Your baby's chin is touching your breast and with his nose slightly away from it.
• Your baby's lips are flanged (flared outward)
• Your baby begins to suck with full and rounded cheeks. If there are dimples in the cheeks, your baby may not be latched well.
• Your baby may suck quickly, then more slowly with short rest pauses. You may hear the baby swallowing. You will hear this more easily when your milk supply increases.
• Sometimes you may hear your baby gulping, especially if you have lots of milk.
• Clicking or smacking sounds may mean that your baby is not latched correctly.
• With a good latch, you can't easily slide your baby off your breast.
• Your nipple looks rounded, not flattened, when your baby comes off your breast.
• The nipple does not have any cracks, blisters, or bleeding.

How to Get a Good Latch