Big Boobed Bf'ers!

[rihanna]

Do you manage to latch LO on and have hands free? I was always worried about smothering him, seriously it always took 2 hands to feed him and i would like some tips on how to do it free handed for next time....? One hand would be at his head and one holding my boobs weight away from his face!

Any tips? Thanks you

 

[luvliensweet]

would love to read some answers as well! My last one was 8 years ago and i had a terrible time holding my boob away from her nose so she didnt suffocate.. any tips would be great!!!

 

[goddess25]

I find that for the most part I can have hands free, it depends where I am and how comfortable I am nursing. At home I find it ok, I place Livi on my knees that i draw up and do the cradle hold and it seems to be ok. If I am outside and just sitting on a regular chair, I cross my legs and still do the same hold but I usually have to hold my boob away from her nose.

Would certainly like some more tips.

 

[purplepower]

I can hands free if I sit on a chair with my legs crossed under me and a pillow on my knee, I then use the rugby/football hold. LO is just starting to use his hand to push my boob out of the way if it squishes into his nose (helpful at night when I doze of feeding him!).

 

[summer rain]

It's all about the positioning, it's hard to describe but with my LOs I fed them in the early days by leaning back slightly and also angling their body/mouth away from my boob slightly once they were latched, I am a 40g/h and never needed to use a pillow and could bf hands free xx

 

[Elmo5]

How do people cope wth seeing what they are doing? I need to put my little one on otherwise she is happy munching my nipple (of which i am not happy with) and to do so i have to use one hand as a ledge to ensure they are not pointing south. If i remove my hand during feeding then the latch is lost.

 

[confused87com]

I have to hold my boob out the way. Doesnt help my lil boy was a premie so started trying breastfeedin at 33 weeks, when he was only 2 lb 10! Doesnt go well with big boobs. this puts me off feedin in public cause i cant not hold it and this is hard to do descretley. Also he is happy to suck my nipple and if i dont hold he will sit chewing on me!

 

[new_to_ttc]

I BF hands free, When he is latched on I just make sure he is properly on his side, and close to me. Sometimes he tries to stretch his legs out and lie at an angel away from me (mainly when he gets sleepy) and this tilts his head more back so his nose is on my breast, but pulling his legs back round my tummy so he is snuggled close moves his head so he is chin down and his nose is free.

 

[summer rain]

I BF hands free, When he is latched on I just make sure he is properly on his side, and close to me. Sometimes he tries to stretch his legs out and lie at an angel away from me (mainly when he gets sleepy) and this tilts his head more back so his nose is on my breast, but pulling his legs back round my tummy so he is snuggled close moves his head so he is chin down and his nose is free.

Thats a better way of describing my method; thanks

 

[lindsayscoob]

I was worrying about this and holding my breast out the way a bit. But the midwife in hospital said I won't suffocate baby, she will stop suckling and kind of snuffle her nose back and breathe then snuffle in and carry on. Once she said that I stopped worrying and she was right. Breast feeding went from being ok to great!!! I do still struggle to check she has more than nipple in her mouth and that she's got her tongue down though.

 

[EmberLeigh]

But the midwife in hospital said I won't suffocate baby, she will stop suckling and kind of snuffle her nose back and breathe then snuffle in and carry on.

This is very true. Babies are made to breastfeed, their noses are shaped specifically to help prevent suffocation. If they cannot breathe, they will move (newborns included). I have size H and my LO has never had an issue.

 

[LuckyD]

How do people cope wth seeing what they are doing? I need to put my little one on otherwise she is happy munching my nipple (of which i am not happy with) and to do so i have to use one hand as a ledge to ensure they are not pointing south. If i remove my hand during feeding then the latch is lost.

Yes, I have this issue too - if I let go then the latch can get lost....

I am still using a hand to support my breast, I want to be able to just tuck her into the crook of my arm like most people do!

I am hoping as she gets bigger it gets a bit easier.....

 

[Elmo5]

I am hoping as she gets bigger it gets a bit easier.....

That is what I am hoping too.

 

[MissCurly]

has anyone seen you latching your lo on? does your lo's chin go into your boob first? and you holding their bottoms/back closer to you? (tucking their bum in towards you).

also, you could try not holding your boob, and position your baby to your boobs as opposed to moving your boobs for your baby- eek, hope im making sense here!

And there was this position with which you hold baby in front of you, 'sitting' on your lap facing your boobs straight on, and then letting baby find its own latch. (once again i hope im making sense!!).
oh there is the sleeping position too, where remember to have body close to yours, and let baby have chin going into boob first then hopefully that should make baby open wide.

 

[momto4girls]

I have (and have always had to) use one hand to support my boob on the underside, otherwise my LO loses the good latch and ends up sucking on the nipple only (which they usually don't care about, they are still getting milk after all) Once they are latched though I usually have one hand to do whatever with. I usually have to use the football hold though to get this.

 

[missmayhem]

pre-pregnancy i was a 38G so really found this thread helpful thanks ladies

 

[MissCurly]

I have (and have always had to) use one hand to support my boob on the underside, otherwise my LO loses the good latch and ends up sucking on the nipple only (which they usually don't care about, they are still getting milk after all) Once they are latched though I usually have one hand to do whatever with. I usually have to use the football hold though to get this.

Have you tried using a rolled up cloth/muslin/towel and placed this under your boob?
As for sucking nipple only, feeds last longer so best to get 3 or 4cm under the nipple into baby's mouth. x

 

[rihanna]

Ok thank you for all the replies. At least i know it can be done x

 

[PrayerfulHope]

Have to find the right position. It's tough, and I find myself pushing my breast away from her nose often, but if they can't breathe they'll come off and relatch. Side lying always helps, it's the easiest way for me to feed her though not always convenient...

 

[lynys]

I can hands free if I sit on a chair with my legs crossed under me and a pillow on my knee, I then use the rugby/football hold. LO is just starting to use his hand to push my boob out of the way if it squishes into his nose (helpful at night when I doze of feeding him!).

Same. I have found Charley will push my boob over when I am feeding her. I need both hands to latch but after that, only the arm I hold her on. Plus, she is still tiny (her weight is probably only about 6 pounds now) so, it will get even easier as she gets older.

I tried different positions but found it easiest to just lie her on my arm and have her latch on. I do side lying, but only in the morning when my husband gets up and Charley comes in to nap with me.