A good latch is the key to breastfeeding success. It minimizes discomfort and maximizes the transfer of breast milk. So how do you know whether or not you’re doing it right? Go down the checklist:
__ In the cradle or cross-cradle positions, the baby should be resting on his side, his tummy facing your tummy, shoulder and hips aligned, mouth level with the nipple
__ The baby’s mouth should be covering at least a half inch of the areola, the dark area of skin around the nipple
__ His nose is touching or nearly touching the breast
__ Both the top lip and bottom …read more

The discussion about toughening up the nipples for breastfeeding sparked an interesting comment from Dawn Martin:
“Some tenderness…” Right…. I can’t tell you how much Lanolin I used each time (I’m nursing my second now) and it STILL hurt like hell in the beginning. I am quite sensitive to pain. What would have been helpful with my first was knowing that a) we were doing it the right way and b) the pain would eventually go away. As it was, I concluded that if she was getting milk and thriving, we must be doing it right.
While I wouldn’t suggest toughening your …read more