>Do any of you encourage side lying from the beginning?  
>Are your mothers successful in this more natural position?

>I find that tension in a new mother's arms is an added stress to her 

Ah, this is one of my bonnet-bees.

Quite consistently I too find that mums are "married" to cross cradle or football (a position that doesn't last long with a tall baby!).  They've been taught that position and that position only, or have somehow acquired the idea that it's the only position they can or should use.  So many women seen at one week visits have sore backs and necks from their contortions.  Once I know that the latch is fine and baby is feeding well, I work at getting the mom into cradle position, and her body comfortable, in a way that works for her. Ideally it will be a position to doze, read, eat, watch TV, cuddle the toddler, console the pet, talk on the phone and maternally multi-task in.

(As an aside, I had my second BF baby a week before my girlfriend had her first.  The difference between my casual, experienced posture and her novice, tense posture struck me profoundly at the time.  I've used that image as a teaching point ever since)

But side-lying is the next thing I teach.  It seems that few women in this area are taught anything about a lying position, which I'm certain is essential for the early weeks.  Sleeping and breastfeeding, what's not to love?  Often women have tried it and found it "odd." Usually that's because they think the baby has to be in the crook of their arm, like those star publicity photos.  Working at repositioning helps.  Heck, giving them permission to have the baby in bed with them helps.  I've found that because lying positions involve dominant and non-dominant hands even more than sitting, the two sides may have to be taught separately.  

FWIW, I've always taught side-lying prenatally.  It may look silly, but I demonstrate myself (with requisite doll).  At least it plants the idea.

Judith

Judith A. Hayman, RN, BSc, BScN, IBCLC
Public Health Nurse, Lactation Consultant

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