How Can I Improve My Baby's Latch?

As a new breastfeeding Mama of a hungry newborn, you want to make sure your baby is getting the most milk they can out of their feedings so that they are nice and full. However, if your baby is having latching issues, you may find that your baby is fussy, isn’t sleeping well, and that you have some painful breasts. Ready to improve their latch? There are lots of things you can try, and we’re here to help. Keep reading to learn more about how to improve your baby’s latch, including the oral development teether that you can incorporate for latching exercises.

Signs Your Baby Has a Great Latch

The old saying is true: Every baby is different. However, when it comes to breastfeeding, there are a few sure signs that your baby has a great latch.

Some of the major things you want to look for while your baby is feeding include:

The latch is comfortable and pain-free.

Your baby's chest and stomach rest against your body so that baby's head is straight, not turned to the side.

Your baby's chin touches your breast.

Your baby's mouth opens wide around your breast, not just the nipple.

Your baby's lips turn out.

Your baby's tongue cups under your breast. You hear or see swallowing.

Your baby's ears move slightly.

(source: WICbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov )

Step 1: Set The Stage

One of the most important aspects of breastfeeding is that your baby feels happy, safe, and comfortable. This is especially true for newborns.

Some of the ways you can set the stage for a successful breastfeeding session include:

Practice skin-to-skin.	The foundation for great breastfeeding sessions happens when you’re not even breastfeeding. Incorporating skin-to-skin releases the love hormone, AKA oxytocin, to bond and encourage feeding.
Find quiet and dim the lights.	While working on latching with your baby, do your best to move to a quiet, calm space. If you’re aiming for a nap, dim the lights and turn on a soothing sound machine.
Make sure YOU are comfortable, too!	Find a comfy place for yourself to sit down and relax while breastfeeding. If you’re not comfortable or you’re shifting around too much, your baby might get the wrong memo.

Step 2: Let Your Baby Lead

Before you start breastfeeding, make sure you choose a breastfeeding position that encourages a good latch. There are many different ways you can hold your baby, including the cradle position, the cross-cradle position, the football hold, the laid-back position, and the side-lying position.

Try out the different positions to see which one your baby responds to best. Each position has tips and tricks on the best path toward success, which is why these positions are most encouraged for breastfeeding mamas who are looking to improve their baby’s latch.

While you’re getting set up for feeding and you choose a position, another key component is to make sure your baby is taking the lead—NOT you. While supporting your baby’s neck, shoulders, back, and hips, offer your little one your breast, but let them find your nipple. If you are too assertive with it, they may not want to latch.

Make sure your baby’s chin is touching your breast and that their nose is turned up and away from your breast so that they can breathe easily. The latch should not be painful or uncomfortable (unless you’re overcoming the first few weeks of breastfeeding, then that is a little more normal), but if it is, unlatch and try again.

Step 3: Incorporate Latching Exercises

Sometimes, no matter how good of a stage you set and how perfectly you’re allowing your baby to lead, they still just can’t get the hang of a nice, deep latch. And, that’s okay! They may have something holding them back, such as a tongue tie or the inability to open up as wide as they need to.

That doesn’t mean that all hope is lost, though. It just means they need a little bit of practice!

One of the best ways you can help improve your baby’s latch is by incorporating latching exercises with an oral development teether. Yes—a teether—even with your newborn, who is nowhere near teething yet!

Innobaby Oral Development Teethers

Innobaby has an entire line of oral development teethers to help with not only teething, but with feeding exercises, as well. Using an oral development teether exercises all of the muscles of the tongue and mouth, setting your baby up for great feeding skills, including the breast, the bottle, and even solid foods. It also sets a great foundation for speech skills, too!

Innobaby holds its teethers to the very highest standards (Conforms to Toy Safety Standard ASTM F963 and EN71) and uses the highest quality TPE available, because Innobaby wants the best for your baby, just like you! Other teethers may be too small, or break apart easily, but you can trust ours!

Here are some latching exercises you can incorporate with your oral development teethers:

Innobaby EZ Grip Star Teether

With your EZ Grip Star Teether, gently offer your baby one of the tips on the star. Move their tongue around with it, push it onto their palette, and work their way up to more. Any time you see your baby working against gravity with their teether, they work on their tongue strength!

Innobaby EZ Grip Fruit Teether

Using the EZ Grip Fruit Teether, make sure you start little by little. Turn the teether vertically into your baby’s mouth so that they can practice opening wide and cupping their tongue.

Innobaby EZ Grip Flower Teether

The EZ Grip Flower Rattle Teether offers the fun, stimulating element of the rattle sounds for your baby to encourage use.

For more breastfeeding tips, parenting hacks, and great products for the whole family (even your little newborn!), head over to Innobaby.com!