The browser you are using is too old for our website. Please visit www.aptaclub.ie from Chrome and you will be able to browse normally.

Baby

      Guide to successful breastfeeding

      Breastfeeding Baby On Bed

      Guide to successful breastfeeding

      Natural wonder

      Learn how to breastfeed

      Although it's considered the most natural thing in the world, breastfeeding can take a little time to perfect – that's why we created our breastfeeding guide, with advice on successful feeding. For example, propping yourself up with cushions can help you feel more comfortable, while knowing how to help your baby latch on properly can make things easier for you both. 

      peranting-icon-circle.png

      Brighter futures start here

      Discover more about infant development to help shape your baby's future

      Join now for free

      Breastfeeding tips

      Breastfeeding is undeniably best for your baby and completely natural for you both. But like any new experience it can take a little time to master - so don’t be disappointed if you find things difficult at first. With the right technique and some practice, you’ll find that things soon get easier. With this in mind, we've put together some useful breastfeeding tips to make sure you're on the right track.

      Breastfeeding Positions

      There are a number of different positions you can breastfeed in. If one’s not working for you, try another. Often, if you lie back in a well-supported position with your baby on your chest, they will move themselves towards your breast to start feeding. Or you can do this lying on your side, just make sure their head and body are in a straight line and that you support their neck, shoulders and back while they reach for your breast.

      It’s natural for your baby to pause from time to time. If you’re finding feeding uncomfortable, try using a supportive v-shaped pillow. Painful feeding could be caused by your baby not latching on properly, so changing positions may help. It can be helpful to slip your finger between your nipple and their mouth to gently dislodge them, move your baby away from your breast and try to position them again.

      Being comfortable will help your baby feed as well as possible, so experiment with a few positions to see what’s best, and remember your comfort too, and make sure you’ve got a drink to hand as it can be thirsty work!

      Following these tips can help with breastfeeding:

      • Position yourself comfortably in a supportive chair or with cushions
      • Hold your baby’s whole body close with their nose in line with your nipple
      • Let their head tip back slightly so their top lip can brush against your nipple. This should help them open their mouth
      • The back of the neck and shoulders should be supported but their head should be free to move around
      • Once their mouth is wide open, bring your baby up to your breast (not the other way round)
      • If your baby is latched on correctly their bottom lip will be curled back and the only visible area of your areola (the dark skin around your nipple) is above your baby's top lip
      • Their cheeks will look full and rounded as they feed. Also look out for movement around the ear – a good sign they’re swallowing
      • Their whole body should be facing you during feeding, so make sure their tummy is against you at all times
      • Let their arms move freely as they feed. You’ll find that allowing them to press or touch your breast will stimulate the milk

      Watch this short video from Aptaclub for a step-by-step guide on how to breastfeed your baby.

      Next steps

      Tips to enhance your breastfeeding experience:

      • Support your back and neck with cushions
      • Ensure your baby is properly latched on, this can ease nipple soreness
      • Try to feed for 20 minutes at a time, from one breast
      • Gently wake your baby if they fall asleep while feeding (before 20 minutes of feeding)

      Your baby's future health begins here

      Your baby's future health begins here

      At Aptaclub, we believe that experience helps to build resilience; that
      each new encounter, whether in pregnancy or after birth, can shape your
      baby’s future development. With our scientific expertise and one-to-one
      round the clock support, we can help you and your baby embrace tomorrow.

      Join Aptaclub

      Related articles

      Questions about feeding and nutrition?

      Our nutritionists and feeding advisors are always on hand to talk about feeding your baby. So if you have a question, just get in touch.

      Brighter futures start here

      Discover more about infant development to help shape your baby's future

      Join now for free

      Important notice

      Breastfeeding is best for babies and provides many benefits. It is important that, in preparation for and during breastfeeding, you eat a varied, balanced diet. Combined breast and bottle feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of your own breastmilk, and reversing the decision not to breastfeed is difficult. Always consult your healthcare professional for advice about feeding your baby.

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy.

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.