One of the most upsetting experiences for a new mother can be holding your newborn close, wanting to breastfeed, and finding that your baby just won’t latch. You may be wondering whether you’re doing something wrong.
The good news is that difficulty latching is common, and it doesn’t usually mean that breastfeeding isn’t going to work for you and your baby.
There are many reasons why a baby may struggle to latch, and sometimes it takes a little time, patience and skilled support for breastfeeding to get going.
How does a good latch look and feel?
When we talk about a baby “latching”, we mean your baby attaching to the breast in a way that allows them to feed effectively and comfortably.
Your baby needs to take a good mouthful of breast tissue, with their tongue positioned underneath the breast tissue. Their chin should be indented into the breast, their head slightly tilted back and their nose free.
When breastfeeding is going well, you should usually be able to hear or see swallowing and your baby’s cheeks should remain rounded rather than sucking in. It should feel comfortable for you.
If breastfeeding is painful, your baby is repeatedly coming off the breast or feeds are taking a very long time, it is worth having your baby’s feeding assessed.
Why won’t my baby latch?
There isn’t one single reason why a baby may struggle to attach.
Your baby may simply be learning
Breastfeeding is a skill that you and your baby learn together. Not latching in the first hours and days doesn’t mean they won’t breastfeed successfully.
Some babies seem to know exactly what to do from the beginning. Others need more time and support.
A baby who has had a difficult birth, is sleepy or has been separated from their mother may need particularly gentle encouragement, with lots of patience and time.
Positioning can make a huge difference
In order to latch well your baby needs to be close to you, facing your breast, with their head and body in a comfortable alignment. Bringing your baby to the breast, rather than leaning your breast towards your baby, can also make attachment easier.
And this is where laid-back breastfeeding can be particularly helpful.
Have you tried laid-back breastfeeding?
Laid-back breastfeeding, sometimes called biological nurturing, involves sitting or lying in a comfortable, semi-reclined position with your baby lying on your chest.
Rather than positioning your baby very precisely and trying to place your nipple into their mouth, you allow your baby to use their natural reflexes and feeding behaviours.
Try:
- Get yourself comfortably supported in a semi-reclined position.
- Place your baby tummy-down on your chest, with their whole body supported by yours
- Allow your baby’s head to rest near your breast.
- Give your baby time to look, smell, nuzzle and move towards the breast.
- Avoid pushing the back of their head towards the breast.
- Your baby will plant their chin on your breast and open their mouth wide to latch.
You don’t necessarily have to “put the breast in their mouth”.
Sometimes allowing your baby to find their own way with patience, time and no interruptions can make an enormous difference.
Skin-to-skin contact can encourage babies’ natural pre-feeding behaviours. Babies are programmed to have a set sequence of nine stages of behaviours where they become alert, move towards the breast, nuzzle and eventually self-attach when they are given time and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact.
Could your baby’s birth have affected breastfeeding?
Sometimes, yes. Our modern maternity systems mean that interventions are very common, and sometimes can’t be avoided. Babies can be affected by these interventions or routines and need longer to recover from birth.
This can be particularly relevant following:
- A long or difficult labour
- Induction of labour
- An epidural or other pain relief
- An assisted vaginal birth using forceps or ventouse
- A caesarean birth
- Separation from your baby after birth
- A baby who needed treatment or monitoring after birth
Sometimes interventions are absolutely necessary and can be lifesaving!
The important thing is understanding that your baby’s behaviour in the first hours or days may be influenced by their birth experience, and you may need additional support to establish feeding.
For example, some babies can be sleepy following medication given during labour. Research tells us that if a mother has received significant amounts of painkillers during labour, a baby’s early feeding behaviours can take longer to develop.
These are situations where colostrum harvesting during pregnancy can be particularly useful – it means that your baby can have frequent amounts of colostrum even when your baby is not latching to the breast.
What about a caesarean birth?
Having a caesarean does not mean that you won’t be able to breastfeed.
You can breastfeed after a caesarean, and skin-to-skin contact can still happen as soon as you and your baby are able.
Some positions may simply be more comfortable initially – ask for help from staff on the maternity ward. Laid-back, side-lying and rugby/football positions can reduce pressure on your abdomen and scar.
If you are having a planned caesarean, it can be helpful to talk to your maternity team beforehand about your wishes for skin-to-skin contact and feeding.
What if my baby was separated from me after birth?
Sometimes babies need to go to the neonatal unit, or you may need treatment yourself following the birth.
If you weren’t able to have immediate skin-to-skin or your first feed didn’t happen as you expected, you haven’t missed your chance to breastfeed.
Skin-to-skin contact remains valuable whenever you are able to do it, and your maternity team can help you express your milk if your baby isn’t yet able to breastfeed.
Could my baby have a tongue-tie?
A tongue-tie can sometimes contribute to difficulty attaching or staying attached to the breast.
You may notice other signs too, such as:
- Clicking during feeds
- Coming on and off the breast
- Very long feeds
- Difficulty maintaining a latch
- Poor milk transfer
- Persistent nipple pain
- A nipple that looks compressed or misshapen after feeding
But difficulty latching does not automatically mean your baby has a tongue-tie.
There are many reasons a baby may struggle to latch, so it is important to look at the whole feeding picture rather than simply looking underneath your baby’s tongue.
You can read more in our guide: How Do I Know If My Baby Has a Tongue-Tie?
What if my breasts are very full?
Sometimes a baby wants to latch but finds it difficult because the breast is very full or engorged.
If the breast is particularly firm, your baby’s mouth may struggle to get a good mouthful of breast tissue.
Gentle hand expression before a feed can soften the area around the nipple and make attachment easier.
This is one reason why learning to hand express before your baby arrives can be such a useful skill.
What should I do if my baby won’t latch?
Try not to turn every feed into a battle.
Instead:
Take a breath.
Have some skin-to-skin time.
Get yourself comfortable.
Try a laid back position.
Give your baby time to show you their feeding cues.
Keep your milk flowing. Frequent milk removal from the breast is important for your future milk supply
And if things still aren’t working, ask for help.
A skilled infant feeding assessment can look at what is actually happening during a feed rather than simply telling you to “try again”.
Your baby’s position, your positioning, oral function, your baby’s state of alertness and your birth experience may all be relevant.
When should I seek help?
It’s worth getting help promptly if:
- Your baby is struggling to feed
- Your baby isn’t waking for feeds
- Your baby is having very few wet or dirty nappies
- You are experiencing nipple pain or damage
- Your baby is losing more weight than expected or not gaining appropriately
- You are worried that your baby isn’t getting enough milk
- You are expressing milk because your baby cannot latch
- You are exhausted or becoming increasingly worried about feeding
You don’t need to wait until you’re at breaking point.
At The Little Latch Company
At The Little Latch Company, we look beyond simply asking “Can your baby latch?”
We want to understand why your baby is struggling and what might help.
Our feeding consultations are provided by experienced IBCLCs who can assess your baby’s feeding, positioning and attachment and explore factors such as your birth experience, milk supply, milk flow and oral function.
Sometimes a small change in position makes all the difference. Sometimes more support is needed.
And sometimes, a baby simply needs time.
If you’re finding breastfeeding difficult or your baby won’t latch, we’re here to help you understand what is happening and find a way forward that works for you and your baby.
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