I can only nurse in the football position

[icegurl470]

anyone else? I nursed my first in this position, but found it a little difficult when she got bigger. I tried switching it up but she wouldn't nurse any other way so I figured she was just used to that one position and I continued to nurse her that way until she was 1. With my second child I've tried alternating between the cradle hold and the football. The weird thing is that she seems to latch easily in the cradle but my nipples get sore and I don't seem to empty my breast as well. Not sure if I'm just anatomically not right for it (I am lrg chested) or I'm just not doing it right?

 

[icegurl470]

Crap I meant to post this in the breastfeeding forum, oops!

 

[_Meep_]

I sucked (every pun intended) at the cradle hold too. It just didn't and wouldn't work for us once LO hit about 12 weeks. I had a strong letdown and she just kept spluttering and couldn't cope with it at all.

So we ended up only nursing side by side in bed for every feed until she was ten months, by which time she had enough strength and control to nurse sitting up on my lap - however, I am large chested too and have quite a small/short torso in comparison to my relatively long/large baby, so when lifting up my top, my boob is just too low for her. I've found that taking my boob out of the neck of my top provides extra support and helps keep it at the right level if I support it with one hand and support her back with my other arm.

If it works for you, do whatever you have to. If both of you are happy with the arrangement, then no worries!

 

[noon_child]

I I am large chested too and have quite a small/short torso in comparison to my relatively long/large baby, so when lifting up my top, my boob is just too low for her. I've found that taking my boob out of the neck of my top provides extra support and helps keep it at the right level if I support it with one hand and support her back with my other arm.

Rolling a muslin cloth or flannel in to a sausage shape and tucking that under the boob can also work well to lift the nipple.

OP - there are no rules to say you must use cradle hold. I found my LO liked different positions at different ages. It may be that the soreness in cradle comes because she pulls back off the breast slightly (maybe feeling overwhelmed by the letdown if she is underneath the breast a bit???).