Slide show: Breast-feeding positions - Mayo Clinic

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Appointments at Mayo ClinicMayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations.Request Appointment Healthy LifestyleSlide show: Breast-feeding positions Sections Products and services Slide show: Breast-feeding positionsPreviousNext1 of 5Breast-feeding: Cross-cradle holdBreast-feeding can be awkward at first. Experiment with various positions until you feel comfortable.The cross-cradle hold is ideal for early breast-feeding. Sit up straight in a comfortable chair with armrests. Bring your baby across the front of your body, tummy to tummy. Hold your baby in the crook of the arm opposite the breast you're feeding from — left arm for right breast, right arm for left. Support the back of the baby's head with your open hand. With the other hand, support your breast from the underside in a U-shaped hold. Guide the baby's mouth to your breast. Don't bend over or lean forward. Instead, cradle your baby close to your breast.Breast-feeding: Cross-cradle holdBreast-feeding: Cradle holdBreast-feeding: Football holdBreast-feeding: Side-lying holdBreast-feeding: Football hold for twins ShareTweetSee more Multimedia Sept. 11, 2015References Your guide to breastfeeding. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/breastfeeding-guide. Accessed March 17, 2015. Wambach K, et al. Perinatal and intrapartum care. In: Breastfeeding and Human Lactation. 5th ed. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Learning; 2016. Vennemann MM, et al. Bed sharing and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome: Can we resolve the debate? The Journal of Pediatrics. 2012;160:44. Younger Meek J, et al. The first feedings. In: New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding. New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books; 2011. 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