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Signs of a Good Latch

Nursing Your BEST

Once you and your baby have found a comfortable position, you’re ready to start feeding.

If you are using the laid-back position, let your baby self–attach to your breast when ready. If you are using a different position, you will control the attachment more than your baby. Follow these tips:

  • Hold your breast with one hand keeping all fingers well under your breast—where the underwire of a bra would fall.
  • Pull your baby close. Tickle baby’s nose and upper lip with your nipple.
  • Wait until baby’s mouth opens wide, like a big yawn.
  • Quickly bring the baby’s mouth to the nipple so that his chin touches your breast first and he gets a large mouthful of nipple and breast.
  • If anything hurts or doesn’t feel right, your baby is probably not latching correctly. Use your finger to gently break your baby’s latch. Try again to reposition your baby. Don’t give up, you and your baby can do this.

Helpful Hints

  • Infants bottom lip should be fanned out, and top lip should not roll under.
  • The skin at the corner of baby’s mouth should look like a wide ‘V’ and not be touching.
  • Baby’s body should be lined up with nursing parent’s ‘tummy to tummy’.
  • Smacking, popping, and clicking noises are not a normal part of latching.
Here is a clip from Stanford Medicine showing "A Perfect Latch"
Here Is A Clip From Global Health Media Project "Attaching Your Baby at the Breast