Find a quiet location so you can nurse your baby without interruption.

• Comfortable chair with footstool or sitting upright in bed.

• One or two pillows for your comfort and to position the baby.

• Pitcher of water, glass and straw.

• Cut up fruit, veggies, or nutritious snack.

• Cordless phone.

• TV remote.

• When baby is at the breast, his/her belly should touch your body, in whatever position

you choose to feed (cradle, clutch or lying down).

• Use pillows to keep baby level with the height of your breast in its resting position,

don’t lift your breast up to baby, and bring your baby to the breast.

• Tickle the baby’s nose and lips with your nipple to stimulate the rooting reflex.

Wait until your baby opens their mouth very wide.

• Guide your baby onto the breast (not the nipple) by covering the areola with the

babies open mouth. Babies need to suck the breast not just the nipple. Check that

any areola showing after latching on is even around all sides of baby’s lips, and that

both lips are flanged outward away from the breast. The baby’s nose tip and chin

should make contact with your breast during feeding, do not press the back and neck

of the baby into your breast, but rather support the head gently so the baby is free to

adjust their position for comfortable breathing.

• Once the baby is comfortably latched on, sit back, take a drink of water, relax

and enjoy!

Most breastfed babies will want to eat about every 2-3 hours. Nurse on the first

breast at least 20-30 minutes and then burp your baby and offer the second breast.

You may use breast massage or hand expression prior to placing the breast shields

on your breasts to aid the letdown reflex.

Adapted with Permission from the Foundation for a Breastfeeding Culture