How do I feed lying down?

[hairymcleary]

Can anyone give me advice on positioning to bf lying down? I can't latch DS2 on comfortably when I'm lying down, mainly because I can't seem to get his body in a good position- his chin always gets squished up against my boob. Anyone have any helpful hints... would love to be able to feed lying down so I can snooze at the same time!!

I lie on my side facing towards DD and lean back a little so my nipple is about her nose-height. Then latch her on with her lying on her back, then turn the rest of her body so that she's lying in a straight line rather than twisting her head, then put my arm around her to support her so my arm is effectively by my side and DD is lying in the gap with her head supported by my upper arm. This is working for us this morning as I have a stinking cold and was anxious to stay in bed as long as poss! Like the third position here

I've also done it with my arm sticking straight out at right angles to my body but find it hard to keep us both balanced at the right angle.

The easiest way is just to latch on sitting up in bed then slump down until you're more or less lying down and baby is lying at right angles across your tum - woken up in that position a number of times

If his chin is getting squished, perhaps he is too far down?

There was a great thread recently about feeding lying down. I put a picture on my profile of the rough position we lie in, anyway.

Sorry, I meant nose gets squished- not chin! So the main problem is that he can't breath properly as nose is buried in my boob! In order to get his head tilted far enough back, I feel like I'd have to have his body lying across mine but then his feet would be going up-hill if you see what I mean!

Ahh he's too far up then. That is exactly where I was going wrong to start off with. Lie him next to you so his nose is level with your nipple. It seems far too far down but it does work - and keep his legs tucked right in close to your body. It can help to have another person (your partner?) GENTLY tilt the baby's head back so that he finds the nipple as it's hard to do yourself in that position. He should only need help for the first few times, then he should be able to find it. HTH.

I have never managed to master the art of breastfeeding lying down and even 13 months on still have to sit up in bed in the middle of the night!

I used to have to hold DD2's head in my (lower) hand to latch her on, and then remove my hand once she had got going. Once they are on, you can then reposition them by pulling on their feet ! Worth perfecting this one - I've always thought this must be one of the main benefits of bf over ff - you certainly can't ff in your sleep!!

The baby has to be much further down than you think. It took me a while to get it sorted but I feed in the same position that Anglepoise describes.
Once they are a bit bigger it's great, I can now just plop DS down next to me and he will roll over and latch himself on, 'tis fab.

I have always found it hard to feed a little one lying down on my side. It gets much easier as they get bigger.
I find the 'biological nurturing' style position much more comfortable - you recline with baby lying n your chest.
www.biologicalnurturing.com/pdfs/Poster%20for%20web%20site-locked.pdf
and
news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6640000/newsid_6644700/6644725.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm

Exellcent advice thank you. Hairymcleary I am having exactly the same problem with DD.

Have you scooped him up so your arm is under his head/neck? When I started doing that it became a lot easier to feed lying down. Tiredness has made sure I can now feed my babe from both sides without rotating us both - bit of 'dangling' needed!