Biological Nurturing/"Laid Back Breastfeeding" Position?

[crystleyz42]

Anyone tried it?  Why?  Did it help you overcome your challenge(s)?

About :

(See esp. "Changing How We Teach Breastfeeding" - 3rd post down)

http://www.nancymohrbacher.com/blog/tag/laid-back-breastfeeding

http://www.biologicalnurturing.com/video/bn3clip.html (video does not like IE browser)

http://www.llli.org/docs/0000000000000001WAB/WAB_Tear_sheet_Toolkit/01_laid_back_breastfeeding.pdf

[PatioGardener]

we automatically fed like this (baby has severe reflux) and it worked well to minimize ds's spit up and to help with my over active let down. i'm glad the word is getting out!

[ar2974]

I didn't know it had a name.  I often feed like that because it's much easier than trying to hold up the baby.

[asraidevin]

Oh cool. I do that at night. He lays over me and sucks when he needs to.

[Erin77]

I've tried it without success, maybe because I have flatter nipples. They kind of smoosh into my breast in that position and don't poke out enough for him to latch onto. I watched an awesome video of it in my childbirth class, though!

[averlee]

I have never heard of this in any book before. I'm glad to see it.  

I grew up way out in the country, in what my daughter calls "the olden days". We didn't have trash trucks or supermarkets. We didn't have disposable diapers or formula. Well, those things were available in towns a few hours away, but we thought they were for city people, people who needed to buy a lot of things and throw them away. 

I saw plenty of mothers nursing their babies in these laid back positions, or not nursing, but resting that way. When my daughter was born I thought I was relying on instinct, but I think also, I was subconsciously copying all the moms and aunts and church ladies I'd seen as a kid. My baby came out, I put her to the breast, she nursed. It never hurt, we never struggled. Of the whole motherhood journey, breastfeeding was the first thing I felt I really was good at and comfortable with- pregnancy and childbirth were really hard for me, but breastfeeding was always really pleasant. And easy.

I know so many mothers who struggle with breastfeeding. I know it sounds very callous, but I never understood why. Both my own daughter, and the one little boy I wet-nursed, would just latch right on and guzzle it down, if I let the baby's head come anywhere near my breast, and if they were feeling at all like a feed. 

I really, truly hope that this idea of "laid back nursing," not only in the reclined positioning but also the dependence on instinct, might help more mothers feel comfortable and relaxed about breastfeeding.  I admire the moms who struggle through- I am not that type, I tend to give things up if they are too hard, and I've felt blessed and that luck has been with me, that I was able to nurse successfully.  But I could see this idea helping a lot of women to really enjoy nursing. 

[mamadiamond]

i didn't know it had a name, but it's how i nurse my daughter most of the time, and all the time at night. the only way to co-sleep in a double bed and get any sleep is for her to sleep on top of me. my hubby and i never have to worry about rolling on her, and i don't have to wake up fully to nurse during the night.

[OurLittleNest]

I watched the documentary "Babies" and saw the Japanese mother nursing her baby that way. I just saw the movie last week and thought it looked so comfortable so I've tried it a couple times with my newborn.

[GoBecGo]

I use it now (in bed principally) but i couldn't have when she was new.  I have 36J breasts and flat nipples.  It's never going to happen!  For my newborn to nurse i have to support my breast and help her shape the nipple.  All the "don't hold your breast" and "let the baby do ALL the work" advice i got after DD1 almost cost us the short nursing relationship we had.  In fact, it kind of galls me how "this will fix everything and there will be no latch issues" some of the stuff i've read on it can be.  I guess there isn't a one-size fits all solution to nursing problems.

[Partaria]

I just tried this nursing position/method today with the help of a lactation consultant, and it felt great. It was the first time in my baby's first week and a half of life here that I haven't felt terrible pain when he latches on.

Just a question for mamas who use this position...

How do you work this one when you're out and about? I find this super easy to do at home where there's a bed, sofa, and comfy chairs. But what about when you're not somewhere with these amenities, like running to the grocery store or something like that? I read somewhere that you can just ease your hips forward in a straightback chair...not sure how well that would work.

Any advice?

[gemasita]

I was told about this when DS was first born and we were having problems.  I just couldn't get the hang of laying back.  My breasts are large and everything falls to the side when I lay back.  Or DS would be so buried in my breasts that I couldn't even see him!  I think it's a great idea but everyone has to find their own way.  I actually felt like a failure that I could get this to work, which I'm sure is not the intention of it!  I always felt like DS couldn't relax because he was having to hold his head up.  When he relaxed, he just fell off to the side.

[homemademom]

Ditto on the wide, flattish nipples and big boobs.  I was able to do this with a couple of my babies, but that was after they'd gotten a lot bigger (like 5 or 6 mths old).

[lookatreestar]

i had no clue this had a name either... i have always just nursed however at the moment. my favorite is side nursing in bed. but then my second came along and my dd would just hang over my side and nurse since the baby was on the bed side. i also started using the in crook of my arm nursing with ds- its so comfy for both of us!

[mamayogibear]

I nurse like this all the time! I have major oversupply and gush out of my  breast because of former piercings. When my son was under two months he couldn't handle the gushing milk if I was upright or sidelying. He would literally gag on all the milk and gasp for breath. This way gravity worked against us and slowed down the flow enough for him to nurse. Now he is so lazy when he comes to nursing he'll just drink milk like it's out of a water fountain and not even suckle some of the time.

[mamayogibear]

I never pulled this off in public but I would nurse my lo while upright in a wrap. It didn't slow the flow down too much but I would try to wrap my lo really high up so my breast had to tilt up instead of droop down to reach their mouth. I hope that helps...

[sosurreal09]

We totally do this all the time and used to nap like this on the couch. Didn't know it had a name either!

[Blanca78]

Beautifully put!

Originally Posted by averlee 

I have never heard of this in any book before. I'm glad to see it.  

I grew up way out in the country, in what my daughter calls "the olden days". We didn't have trash trucks or supermarkets. We didn't have disposable diapers or formula. Well, those things were available in towns a few hours away, but we thought they were for city people, people who needed to buy a lot of things and throw them away. 

I saw plenty of mothers nursing their babies in these laid back positions, or not nursing, but resting that way. When my daughter was born I thought I was relying on instinct, but I think also, I was subconsciously copying all the moms and aunts and church ladies I'd seen as a kid. My baby came out, I put her to the breast, she nursed. It never hurt, we never struggled. Of the whole motherhood journey, breastfeeding was the first thing I felt I really was good at and comfortable with- pregnancy and childbirth were really hard for me, but breastfeeding was always really pleasant. And easy.

I know so many mothers who struggle with breastfeeding. I know it sounds very callous, but I never understood why. Both my own daughter, and the one little boy I wet-nursed, would just latch right on and guzzle it down, if I let the baby's head come anywhere near my breast, and if they were feeling at all like a feed. 

I really, truly hope that this idea of "laid back nursing," not only in the reclined positioning but also the dependence on instinct, might help more mothers feel comfortable and relaxed about breastfeeding.  I admire the moms who struggle through- I am not that type, I tend to give things up if they are too hard, and I've felt blessed and that luck has been with me, that I was able to nurse successfully.  But I could see this idea helping a lot of women to really enjoy nursing. 

[Blanca78]

ditto--I've been unsuccessful as well, and have also had trouble with side lying. Hopefully when DD is a bit bigger (she's seven weeks now) it will work for us. Right now I'm still tied to the My Brest Friend (as a new nurser). It's my nursing training wheels and it will be nice when she's stronger/has better head control and we can nurse more naturally and on the fly. The pillow is a major PIA.

Originally Posted by gemasita 

I was told about this when DS was first born and we were having problems.  I just couldn't get the hang of laying back.  My breasts are large and everything falls to the side when I lay back.  Or DS would be so buried in my breasts that I couldn't even see him!  I think it's a great idea but everyone has to find their own way.  I actually felt like a failure that I could get this to work, which I'm sure is not the intention of it!  I always felt like DS couldn't relax because he was having to hold his head up.  When he relaxed, he just fell off to the side.