The reality is, however, that there are often many challenges along the way to get to that point! One thing many women don’t anticipate is long, difficult labors, c-sections, iatrogenic interventions if the baby requires resuscitation, restrictive tongue ties, and maternal infections requiring isolation from the baby, to name a few. 

PAK Pediatrics strives to provide all mothers with the breastfeeding resources necessary to meet their child’s needs. If your baby does not latch on in the first few hours and even days after birth, here are some breastfeeding latching tips that can help!

Latching Techniques Every Mother Should Know

Before you begin your new mom workout routine, it’s critical to understand that this journey should be gradual and considerate of the body’s healing process. Given the immense physical changes experienced duBreastfeeding is an important part of nutrition for newborn babies. To ensure your child gets the sustenance they need, proper latching is key.

The first and most vital of the breastfeeding latch tips I have to share is to focus on skin-to-skin contact—the more the better!  Have you ever seen a video of a breast crawl? Check out YouTube—they have so many and they are INCREDIBLE to watch! Babies can often find their own way to the breast and latch on without any help at all! Of course, having a support person nearby is key, as you may need some help along the way. 

If this does not work and your baby has not latched within a few hours after birth, I encourage you to hand express your colostrum and spoon-feed or cup-feed the baby.  In the early days, you may feel defeated if you try pumping because you likely will not yield much output, but hand expression works wonderfully until milk flow increases around day 3-4. 

Another breastfeeding latching tip I recommend is finger feeding. Finger feeding is one of the best latching techniques for encouraging a baby to prepare to breastfeed. Certainly, using a shield can be helpful, as well. 

Once your baby does latch, perform breast compressions to increase the flow of milk from the breast. This is SO important, as this helps your baby stay latched, essentially receiving a “reward” of breastmilk from you for their effort!  I teach this technique to all of my dyads as I find it very effective to keep the baby latched and feeding. 

Many moms note that if the baby is “hangry” or upset, latching is much more difficult! I recommend trying when your baby is just waking up from sleep or just falling asleep.

When your baby is calm, latching seems to be more successful. Crying, screaming babies make the process more stressful for both of you!  Calming baby, hand expressing to have milk readily available, and then trying to latch works so much better. 

So, you have tried all of these breastfeeding latch tips and your baby STILL does not latch. What now? Don’t worry; latching can happen weeks or even months after birth, but it IS easier over time if latching happens earlier. If you’re having trouble latching, the priority becomes expressing your milk and building up your supply.

After all, having more milk/a fuller breast means, if your baby does eventually latch, they will have a faster flow needed to ensure continued feeding at the breast.