Fiona,
        I often use the hands on approach, always with the mothers permission.
I usually try to describe and demonstrate first, but often the mom and
baby need a visual demonstration to connect or correct a poor latch-on.
Often,the mom does it easily herself the next time. The mom is usually
so happy to get the baby to nurse correctly.  I remember a nurse helping
me this way after my second child in the delivery room 18 years ago, and
I was very happy. I hadn't been allowed to nurse my 22 yr old at
delivery, because she was "too full of mucus". (Now I know that would
have helped!) You become very intimate with the people who are with you
at birth, also, it's so true the baby who nurses immediately after birth
often is a pro forever in their nursing life.
        The Bf video that is only 6 minutes long by K. Frantz & Dr. Righard
shows this so well.
        Ellen Mahony, MSN, ACCE, IBCLC, Greenwood Lake, NY