In teaching how to get babies to breastfeed I tend to not use a certain position or hold, especially not to HCPs. It is my experience in teaching HCPs that no matter what technique, hold or intervention you name, it is taken as the one and only one-size-fits-all remedy.
I rather empasize what you want mom and baby to achieve: a mouth full of breast under babies' direction (and with the ability to extend hi head and with sufficient support) in a position mom and baby can hold for a certain amount of time. Then I show a many pictures as possible of mothers breastfeeding babies in a wide variety of positions and holds, even some quite ''interesting'' ones. We then discus what we see: how is babies' posture, is mom comfortable, is baby likely to have a big mouth full of breast, ...
"The" best position/hold is what works for this mom and child at this time and don't let yourself get trapped in one position only.

On pillows:
I urge everyone I teach -be it moms or HCPs- to keep far away from pillows until baby i well attached and feeding and then only if needed to support mom somewhere to keep comfortable. Many time raising moms feet is better than putting a pillow on her lap. 


Met vriendelijke groet, 

Gonneke van Veldhuizen, IBCLC 
lactatiekundige
  

  * * * * * * *
  www.eurolac.net
  praktijk voor lactatiekunde
  centrum voor borstvoeding informatie en educatie
   
  * * * * * * *
www.eurolac.net/forum




             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome