BF positioning...ok to support with other arm?

[rosielum]

my DD2 is 12 days old, feeding is going well, she is putting on weight, lots of wet/dirty nappies, sleeping well and a relaxed and content baby. I exclusively expressed for my DD1 so actual BFing is new to me. I read lots about teqnique and had plenty of advice before and during birth about positioning, but over the last week we've found we're much more comfortable if i support DD2 with the arm from the side she is feeding from rather than the opposite arm IUSWIM. She is still tummy to tummy and has a striaight line from her head to her back. Our health visitior was round today, she's usually very reliable with advice and she says i really need to change the arm i support with as the baby wont be comfortable in that position. Does everyone support with the opposite arm? TIA

Do what feels comfortable

There are no hard and fast rules

Providing the latch is good and feeding is going well, then do whatever to be comfortable

Your DD will let you know if she is uncomfortable

Lots of people find cross-cradle (opposite arm) better in the early days but I think most use cradle hold (same arm) usually. I used to latch ds on with the opposite arm then switch arms so he was resting on the same arm. From a couple of weeks in I only ever used a cradle hold.

If your baby is uncomfortable she will let you know! You can use any position or hold that works for you both.

Firstly congratulations on your baby.
I would do what is comfortable for you and your baby. I have always used the arm on the same side to support my ds4 - with the others I alternated between the same and opposite arms in the early days. Do whatever works for you and your baby.

My DS is nearly 3 weeks, and I really couldn't get on with the cross-cradle/opposite arm, so I've always used the same arm. DS doesn't seem to have any problems so I'm sticking with what works!

As long as your baby can latch on the breast effectively, there is no pain for you, her body is more or less aligned and she can tip her head back to allow for a good latch and comfortable swallowing then you can hold her however you want to.

Positioning =10%
Attachment =90%

I've always supported with the same arm. When I was having latch problems the hospital feeding specialist midwife taught me to latch on with opposite arm, then once I was happy with the latch to switch arms. I do that at the support groups I've been to as well and nobody has ever commented negatively on it.

Some people can only ever feed lying down/rugby hold/baby dangling from the ceiling so it really doesn't matter so long as your DD can comfortably get to the milk and it isn't causing you any problems. I can only feed while holding my boob, and you're not 'supposed' to do that but DS is 8 1/2mo now so I really can't change the habit

Agree with TittyBojangles - as long as baby is happy then go with it! Anyway, surely you need your other arm for drinking tea/using remote control/playing with your older DC?

As far as tummy to tummy goes, my DD did lie like this, but DS refused, he laid with his tummy to the ceiling and turned his head to feed! As long as he was happy so was I! Not forgetting feeding whilst standing up, walking about, etc, baby will lay on your feeding side then.

thanks everyone, feel much better about that!

Agree with everyone who has said that it doesn't matter as long as it's working for you both!

You will find that you will probably want to adjust positioning as your baby grows bigger and heavier.

Congrats on your dd btw