Getting Started with Breastfeeding: Why It Matters and How to Succeed

Why Breastfeeding Matters

Breastfeeding is far more than nutrition. It is one of the most powerful, evidence-based interventions available to protect your baby's health in the short and long term. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

Here's what the research consistently shows:

Getting a Good Latch: The Foundation of Successful Breastfeeding

The single most important skill in the early days of breastfeeding is achieving a good latch. A poor latch is the most common cause of nipple pain, low milk supply, and early breastfeeding failure. Here's how to get it right:

Signs of a Good Latch

1. Wide mouth: Baby's mouth should be open wide, like a yawn, before latching on. The lips should be flanged outward ("fish lips"), not tucked in.

2. Asymmetric latch: More of the areola should be visible above the baby's top lip than below the bottom lip. The baby leads with the chin, not the nose.

3. Deep attachment: The nipple should be drawn deep into the baby's mouth, towards the junction of the hard and soft palate. If you can see the nipple when baby releases, it should look round — not flattened or pinched.

4. Rhythmic sucking: You should hear a pattern of suck-swallow-pause. The jaw moves deeply and rhythmically, and you may hear soft swallowing sounds.

5. Comfortable for you: After the initial latch (which may feel intense for 10–30 seconds), breastfeeding should not be painful. Persistent pain is a sign that the latch needs adjustment.

Common Latch Problems and Solutions

When to seek help: If breastfeeding is persistently painful, if your baby is not gaining weight, or if you're unsure about the latch, contact an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) as soon as possible. Early support makes a significant difference.

Breastfeeding Positions That Work

There is no single "correct" position — the best position is the one that works for you and your baby. Here are the most common:

Cradle Hold

The classic position: baby lies across your body, tummy to tummy, with their head resting in the crook of your arm. Support your breast with the opposite hand if needed.

Cross-Cradle Hold

Similar to the cradle hold, but you use the opposite hand to support baby's head. This gives you more control over the latch and is especially useful in the early days.

Side-Lying Position

Both you and baby lie on your sides, facing each other. This is the position most commonly used for night nursing and breastsleeping. It allows you to rest while feeding and naturally facilitates the protective C-curl position described by Dr. James McKenna.

Laid-Back (Biological Nurturing)

You recline comfortably and place baby on your chest, tummy to tummy. Gravity helps baby find the breast, and this position activates baby's natural feeding reflexes. It's especially helpful for newborns and for mothers recovering from a caesarean section.

Night Nursing: The Bridge Between Breastfeeding and Co-Sleeping

Night nursing is one of the most natural — and most misunderstood — aspects of breastfeeding. Newborns need to feed frequently, including through the night, because:

For breastfeeding mothers who co-sleep, night nursing becomes seamless. Research by Professor Helen Ball at Durham University has shown that breastfeeding mothers who bedshare feed more frequently but for shorter durations, and both mother and baby get more total sleep compared to mothers who get up to feed.

This is the concept Dr. McKenna calls "breastsleeping" — the biologically integrated system of breastfeeding and bedsharing, where the mother's body creates a protective environment around the baby while facilitating easy access to the breast.

Breastfeeding and the Safe Sleep Seven

Breastfeeding is the third criterion of the Safe Sleep Seven — and for good reason. Research consistently shows that breastfeeding mothers:

1. Adopt the protective C-curl position instinctively, creating a safe microenvironment around the baby

2. Synchronize their sleep cycles with their baby, leading to lighter sleep and more frequent micro-arousals

3. Respond more quickly to their baby's movements and sounds during sleep

4. Position the baby at breast level, away from pillows and heavy bedding

These protective behaviours are specific to breastfeeding mothers and are part of an evolved system that has kept human infants safe for hundreds of thousands of years.

If you are breastfeeding and meet all seven criteria of the Safe Sleep Seven, bedsharing can be a safe, natural, and deeply rewarding way to nurture your baby through the night. Read our complete guide to the Safe Sleep Seven for full details.

Common Breastfeeding Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Low Milk Supply

True low supply is rare. The most common causes are infrequent feeding, poor latch, and supplementing with formula too early. The solution is almost always: feed more often, ensure a deep latch, and avoid unnecessary supplementation. Skin-to-skin contact and breast compression during feeds can also help.

Sore or Cracked Nipples

Usually caused by a shallow latch. Correct the latch first, then apply expressed breast milk or medical-grade lanolin to aid healing. If pain persists, rule out thrush or tongue tie.

Engorgement

Common in the first week as your milk "comes in." Frequent feeding, warm compresses before feeding, and cold compresses after feeding can help. Avoid skipping feeds.

Mastitis

An infection of the breast tissue, usually caused by a blocked duct. Symptoms include a red, hot, painful area on the breast, often with flu-like symptoms. Continue breastfeeding (it's safe and helps clear the blockage), apply warmth, and see your doctor if symptoms don't improve within 24 hours.

When to Seek Professional Support

Breastfeeding is natural, but it doesn't always come naturally. There is no shame in needing help. Contact an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) if:

Many countries offer free or subsidised lactation support through health visitors, midwives, or breastfeeding clinics. In Denmark, your sundhedsplejerske (health visitor) can provide breastfeeding guidance and referrals.

The Bigger Picture

Breastfeeding is not just a feeding method — it's a relationship. It's the warmth of skin-to-skin contact, the comfort of a familiar heartbeat, the security of being held close. For co-sleeping families, breastfeeding and bedsharing form an integrated system that supports the baby's physical health, emotional security, and neurological development.

Whether you breastfeed for six weeks or six years, every feed matters. And if breastfeeding doesn't work out for your family, that's okay too. What matters most is that your baby is fed, loved, and safe.

Remember: A safe sleep environment is essential regardless of feeding method. If you are not breastfeeding, room-sharing with baby in a separate sleep surface (such as a bedside crib) is the recommended approach. See our guide to safe sleep arrangements for more information.