Barbara,

<< grasp the nipple  >>

Ohooooeee.  ouch. Oh dearie me accompanied by a slow intake of breath.

What does 'grasp' convey to the hearer?

I wince when I hear or see this little phrase, imho it is a no no phrase in
our bag of breastfeeding descriptions.

Barbara, I beg you to re-evaluate the use of the word  'grasp' in the
breastfeeding context.  'Cup' the breast, maybe.  To someone who has not
watched breastfeeding in a slow-motiony sort of way that we all do, 'grasp',
will block out the listeners ears to what you are trying to convey and paint a
completely wrong picture.

 In all my years watching breastfeeding, I have never, ever, seen a baby's
tongue 'grasp' a nipple, humans do not have tongues that can do this.   Grasp
has overtones of 'greedy', 'grabbing as in hands/fingers', 'desperate',
'meanness', 'pincerlike, 'painful', etc.  So, on my bended knees, please,
please, let us dispose of this phrase for evermore, it has been handed down
for just toooo long.  It has gone way past its sell by date. :-D

Helen, NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor, Storrington, West Sussex, UK