Laid-back breastfeeding

Although Laid-back Breastfeeding has a lot in common with Baby-led Attachment, it is not only a technique to help new babies learn to attach to the breast but is also an approach to breastfeeding which enables rest and relaxation for mother and baby.

Also called Biological Nurturing, the idea of reclining to breastfeed somehow disappeared in the dark years of the 20th century when the modern world almost lost all wisdom around feeding our babies at the breast. When bottle feeding became normalised and breastfeeding became a hidden task not seen in public, the only image of feeding babies was the upright position sitting on a chair.

In the early weeks of breastfeeding, babies need plenty of time to feed at the breast. You might find yourself sitting in that chair for 8 or more hours a day! Even more if you are getting out of bed for those night feeds.

Laid-back breastfeeding lets you rest and relax every time you feed your baby.

Discomfort and fatigue in your back, neck, shoulders and wrists can be the result of sitting upright to breastfeed several hours a day without good support. Sometimes we don’t even realise our muscles and joints are so actively engaged in supporting our baby.

Choosing a reclined position for at least some feeds will relieve some of the stress on your body, especially in the immediate postnatal period.