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I can't breastfeed hands free what am i doing wrong

16 replies

L3tsD0Th1S2020 · 03/04/2021 21:48

Baby will latch but will instantly fall off if i dont keep hold no matter what position i try.

My back and arms are killing me

OP posts:

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Anotherdayanotherdollar · 03/04/2021 21:49

How old is your baby?

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NewYearNewTwatName · 03/04/2021 21:51

hands free?

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Merename · 03/04/2021 21:54

Are you trying laid back/reclined feeding? Try loads of cushions or pillows and ensure you are quite reclined. How old is baby? Have them between your boobs and let them root in the right direction/ help guide them. You will need arms to guide them and a pillow under your arm can help you support them but you won’t be taking all their weight.

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DuvetCaterpillar · 03/04/2021 21:58

Also it depends on your breast size / shape, and your baby of course. I found sitting on the sofa for feeds with the L shaped pregnancy pillow round my waist helped - as she got bigger she was more able to snuggle in by herself

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Aquamarine1029 · 03/04/2021 21:59

You need to use a support pillow, but hands free, especially with a very small baby simply isn't safe or possible. You need to support them with at least one arm.

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Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 03/04/2021 22:06

10 years of BF & only managed hands free on a few occasions - when “baby” was old enough to walk over, undo bra & hold breast themselves
It’s very very hard to bf handsfree with big breasts - side lying was always the closest, more directing than holding!

You shouldn’t be sore though - pay attention to your posture & make sure baby is coming to you (pillow/leg) rather than you going to baby (hunching)

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Booboobadoo · 03/04/2021 22:11

I was given a breast feeding pillow when DC was a few weeks old and it helped enormously as when I was sitting up it brought DC to me rather than having to hold DC up. DC spent a lot of time snoozing on it too as after finally getting a good latch would fall asleep

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TooMinty · 03/04/2021 22:13

I never really managed hands free. One handed is fine, then you can pick up cup/chocolate/remote control. Or try in vain to wrangle toddler sibling../

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NanooCov · 03/04/2021 22:16

I think it would be helpful if you explained what you mean by "hands free" and how old the baby is. I bf both my kids to over 2 years and they could perform gymnastics while feeding when older but young babies will always need some support, with the exception perhaps of feeding while lying on your side in bed but then you might need to support your breast in that case.

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ISaidDontLickTheBin · 03/04/2021 22:23

Not sure it's supposed to be hands free??

Shouldn't be hurting your back though. You need to find a comfy sitting position then lift the baby or the breast. Dont bend or hunch forward - bring the baby higher if your back isn't straight. Then support your arms with pillows etc.

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ISaidDontLickTheBin · 03/04/2021 22:24

*lift the baby to the breast

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FTEngineerM · 05/04/2021 19:55

I couldn’t ever do hands free, baby in one arm and my boob in the other. Just wasn’t comfy plus it would smother his poor face if I released the beasts.

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GoToSleepBabyPlease · 05/04/2021 19:57

Pillows. Nursing pillows are great with a young baby. Mine is now 6 months old and I like to rest him across my lap with his head on my arm and my arm on my raised leg or the side of an armchair. I rest my leg on a pillow

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JustNotFunAnymore · 05/04/2021 20:22

Get into a good position and bring baby to you. What I tended to do was lean over and then when baby latched on I would try and get comfy which would break babies latch. However I never managed hands free. X

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Margo34 · 29/05/2021 10:15

My 8m still needs holding, also I never worked out how to feed in a sling (is that what you mean by hands-free?). At night we Co-sleep sometimes and that is the closest to hands-free we get - baby turns their head and grabs handfuls of boob to shove in their own mouth if they're impatient and can't wait for me to guide the way 😂

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DancesWithDaffodils · 29/05/2021 10:25

It's not meant to be hands free easily (unless feeding in a sling, which I never mastered).
Get comfy, with back supported. Bring baby to breast. Once latched, the arm on the side i was feeding from was free to grab nearby pillows to wedge under baby to take weight, but one arm/hand still required for position and take a small amount of weight.

Feeding lying down is the other route, but one arm is still generally wedged under you or baby.