Is it safe to feed baby while lying down
How to Effectively and Comfortably Do It
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on March 02, 2021
In this Article
- How to Breastfeed While Lying Down
- Why Breastfeed While Lying Down?
- Is Breastfeeding While Lying Down Safe?
Breastfeeding often means staying in one position for an extended period of time, multiple times each day and night. Fortunately, some breastfeeding positions allow the mother (or person breastfeeding) to lay down and effectively feed a baby. Not only are these reclining positions potentially more comfortable for the mother, but they can also provide some benefits in other situations, too.
How to Breastfeed While Lying Down
The key to breastfeeding while lying down is finding a position that is comfortable and safe for both you and the baby. Here are two common positions you can use for breastfeeding while lying down:
Laid-Back Breastfeeding. In this position, the mother leans back on a couch or bed to nurse her baby. It is best to not lay all the way flat, but prop yourself up partially with some pillows. Make sure that your head and your back are fully supported so that you can completely relax for the feeding session. Baby can lay across your chest, or lengthwise down your torso. There are plenty of benefits to this position including:
- Baby can achieve a deep latch on the breast
- Relaxing for mother
- Can be used on all sizes of babies
- Can be used while feeding twins
- Gravity can help slow the flow of milk if it is too fast for your baby
Side-lying breastfeeding. This position is when a mother lies on her side next to her baby and nurses. It is easiest to do in bed, on the floor, or a large couch. Keep your head and back in a straight line, and put your head on a pillow or your arm. You may need to lift your breast or nipple to your baby's mouth.
Sometimes, it's more comfortable to bend your knees, or even put a pillow between them.
Benefits of side-lying breastfeeding include:
- Easily used in bed
- Allows mother's body to rest
- Avoids pressure on C-Section stitches or other painful areas during recovery
- Can be helpful for mothers with large breasts
Why Breastfeed While Lying Down?
After having a baby, breastfeeding lying down can be helpful for many reasons, including:
Recovery. If a mother is recovering from a C-Section, an episiotomy, or vaginal birth, sitting up for an extended period may be uncomfortable or painful. Nursing while lying down may help to avoid pain while recovering from birth.
Comfort. Supporting the weight of a nursing baby can be hard on a mother's shoulders, arms, and back. For some women, nursing in a reclining or lying-down position eases the strain on her upper body.
Sleep. Falling asleep while breastfeeding can be very dangerous for an infant.
However, many mothers who co-sleep (defined as baby sleeping in the same room, on a separate and safe sleep surface) find that night feeds are easier while laying down.
Clogged ducts. It is not uncommon for a breastfeeding woman to experience a clogged milk duct in her breast. Nursing in different positions can help a clog pass, including nursing lying down.
Is Breastfeeding While Lying Down Safe?
Yes, when done correctly, breastfeeding while lying down is perfectly safe. Follow these tips to make sure your baby is comfortable and safe:
- Practice during the day before trying to use it at night
- Ensure that your space is free from excess pillows and bedding
- Do not fall asleep while nursing in a lying-down position
- Always pay attention to your baby
- Always use safe sleep practices for your baby
Side-lying or laid-back nursing can be dangerous if a mother falls asleep; if a baby falls or is smothered by bedding, clothing, or a mother's body, it can be extremely dangerous.
But when done correctly, breastfeeding while lying down can be relaxing for both mother and baby.
Ultimately, learning how to utilize a variety of positions for breastfeeding can be very helpful for both mother and baby. Being able to adjust to different situations and locations can make breastfeeding easier and less stressful for both of you. If you have questions or need breastfeeding support, consider reaching out to a lactation consultant or speak to your doctor.
How and When to Do It
You see your baby smacking their lips and sticking out their tongue, and you know it’s time to feed them. But you’re feeling groggy, exhausted, and physically weak. How are you possibly going to get through another feeding?
Breastfeeding your baby every 2 to 3 hours is hard work! You deserve a break, and breastfeeding while lying on your side can help you relax. You can rest while also bonding with and feeding your baby.
Sound too good to be true? It’s not! Breastfeeding on your side is considered one of the most popular breastfeeding positions.
It just might be worth a try.
One of the best parts of side lying breastfeeding is having the opportunity to rest your body while feeding your baby. Allow us to walk you through some simple steps to make it a comfy experience for both you and your baby:
- Place your baby on their back in the middle of the floor or on a large bed. If you’re on a bed, remember to keep loose sheets, blankets, and pillows away from baby’s face to minimize risk.
- Lie down next to your baby, with your stomach lined up near baby’s head. You can use a pillow under your head, just make sure that it’s in a place that your little one can’t reach it! (You can also use a pillow as back support or between your legs if that will make you more comfortable lying on your side.)
- Slide your little one up so their nose is level with your nipple and your arm is above their head. Or cradle baby with their back along your forearm. (But don’t rest baby’s head on your upper arm.)
- Roll your baby onto their side pulling their hips or knees close to your hips.
(Your spine and your baby’s spine may form a “V” shape.) You can put a rolled blanket or pillow behind baby’s back to support them and prevent them from rolling away from you. Encourage baby’s nose to make contact with your nipple, but do not squash their face into your breast! - Try to position baby so their ear, shoulder, and hip are in one line. This will help them get milk more easily.
- If needed, use the arm not resting on the bed to shape your breast and guide it into your baby’s mouth. However, many babies (especially older babies) will naturally latch on their own.
You may find that it is most comfortable to roll yourself and your baby to the other side to drain the second breast. If this is the case, you’ll want to follow the same latching routine described above, facing the opposite direction.
Some breastfeeding parents find that once the lower breast is empty, they can simply lean forward and feed their baby off their full top breast. If you choose to do this, make sure to completely drain the lower breast first.
Occasionally women will find that their breasts don’t drain fully or evenly after feeding in the side-lying position. Excess milk in your breasts can lead to engorgement, plugged ducts, mastitis, or a decrease in milk supply, so you’ll want to keep a lookout for this!
If your breasts aren’t fully draining, you should consider sitting up to finish the feed or expressing some milk to make sure that your breasts are appropriately drained.
If you’re feeling tired, side lying breastfeeding is a great option to help you and baby get a little more rest. But remember: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) still recommends that you and your baby return to separate sleep surfaces after the feeding is done.
Side lying breastfeeding may also be a good position if you had a cesarean delivery. Being able to lie down and not have the baby put weight on your scar is certainly appealing as you heal.
You might choose to use side lying breastfeeding to feed your baby during your recovery period.
If you gave birth at a hospital, the hospital bed rails can help you feel confident that your little one won’t roll backwards during the feeding, which is an added bonus!
If you have oversupply or a forceful letdown, side lying breastfeeding can help your baby manage the flow of milk. When you lie on your side, gravity has less effect on your milk letdown, and your baby can more easily let extra milk dribble out of the corners of their mouth.
If you have larger breasts and struggle to help your baby find the right position, side lying breastfeeding can make it easier for baby latch.
Figuring out the picture-perfect latch can take a while! No one position is guaranteed to bring success for you and your little one, but side lying breastfeeding may be worth a try if you’re struggling with other positions.
Remember that with any breastfeeding position, your baby’s latch shouldn’t hurt. If your nipple is being pinched, put your finger into the corner of your baby’s mouth to break the seal.
Then you can try to help your baby latch back on with a wider mouth.
Your newborn may seem so tiny and fragile that you’re wondering if it’s really OK to feed them while lying on your side. If you take the proper safety precautions, side lying breastfeeding can be done as early as the very first feed.
If your little one is very tiny, you may need to give them extra support. Use pillows or blanket around their bottom and lower back to support the proper feeding position. Just make sure to keep pillows away from their head and face!
Be sure to stay awake while feeding your newborn. Due to the higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) when bed sharing, you’ll want to make sure that if they fall asleep, your newborn is placed in a separate, safe sleeping environment.
If you’re a new parent, chances are high that you’re feeling pretty tired! Breastfeeding while lying down can be an amazing opportunity to rest your body and feed your baby at the same time.
Remember, if you’re having problems with breastfeeding or feeling pain when your baby latches, don’t hesitate to reach out to a lactation consultant. They can help you and your little one master new positions and troubleshoot problems so your breastfeeding relationship is successful.
Lying down feeding - advice and answers to questions on breastfeeding - blog portal Pandaland.kz
Good afternoon! Who knows better than a young mother how you want to sleep when the child is very small? Is it really possible for a breastfeeding mother to get enough sleep? What if you feed lying down? Today we will be looking at issues related to this feeding pose. Maria Ivanova, breastfeeding consultant of the Kazakhstani support group of the GV "Dairy Help" answers the questions of nursing mothers.
Question 1:
Our grandmothers unanimously repeat - do not feed the baby lying down. They say that milk will flow through the nose into the ears and there will be otitis, so you need to hold the baby's body at an angle so that the head is higher than the body.
The first weeks after giving birth, I was only lying down feeding and saved myself, because I could not sit up because of the stitches. Now I don’t sleep half the night, I feed sitting. The neighbor says that lying down is not harmful, she fed her child like this for up to a year and three months and his ears never hurt. I don't know who to trust, please help! nine0010
Answer:
Contrary to popular belief, lying breastfeeding does not cause otitis media. It's all about the special structure of the child's pharynx. It is designed in such a way that during sucking, the epiglottis separates the respiratory tract from the oral cavity and esophagus. The child can simultaneously suck and swallow milk, and breathe through the nose. Thanks to this mechanism, babies can breastfeed in any position, and milk will not get into the nose and ears. The baby can suckle at the breast and sleep at the same time. It is provided by nature. nine0003
Bottle feeding is another matter.
Sucking on a bottle nipple is a fundamentally different mechanism (even if the nipple is positioned as similar to a breast). When sucking on a bottle nipple, the epiglottis does not separate the airway from the mouth, so bottle feeding should not be done lying down. Feeding a sleeping or dozing baby from a bottle, leaving him lying down, especially one, is life threatening.
Question 2:
I feed the baby while sitting, lying down to feed everything did not dare. This month has reached the handle, I do not sleep at all. During the day we feed every 1-1.5 hours, at night - every 2-2.5 hours. At night I feed for half an hour, I rock for half an hour, only I fall asleep - it's time to feed again. My husband suggested taking the baby to our bed for the night so that I could get some sleep. Tell me how to feed lying down?
Answer:
Thank you for your question! Night feedings can indeed be tiring due to the need to sit.
Of course, because for this you need to wake up completely, take the child in your arms and sit with him for a while, trying not to fall asleep yourself, which is simply dangerous. Sometimes it is also necessary to rock the child, then put him to bed and try to fall asleep as soon as possible. It's not that easy, especially late at night. And getting enough sleep for a nursing mother is very important! nine0003
The lying position, or the so-called "relaxed feeding", allows the woman to rest while the baby is eating, and even sleep. Such feeding helps a lot when you do not get enough sleep and want to take a nap during the day. Some mothers at first adjust to the child's regimen, using every opportunity to sleep during the day. When the adaptation period passes, strength appears for household chores.
Lying down allows you to breastfeed at night without waking up. To do this, you need quite a bit:
1. First of all, you need to lie comfortably on your side so that your arm and neck do not become numb, and you do not have to strain your muscles, trying not to fall forward or backward.
This can be helped by a roller placed under the back and a comfortable pillow lying strictly under the head and neck, and not under the shoulder. Do not support your head with your lower hand, pull it forward, you can bend at the elbow.
2. You can also place a bolster under your baby's back so you don't have to hold the baby in the side-lying position with your hand. Please note that the roller should be located along the back of the child to shoulder level. He doesn't hit the head. The movements of the baby's head do not need to be limited, this prevents a good grip on the chest and makes the baby nervous. nine0003
3. Keeping your child safe is important! If the baby is lying at the edge of the bed, be sure to put a roller, pillow, or take some other measures so that the child does not fall out of bed.
4. Alternating breasts at night is also important to avoid breast asymmetry and congestion. You will need to switch places with your baby throughout the night so that you can comfortably breastfeed each breast.
Some mothers do not change places with the baby, but feed alternately with the lower and upper breasts, hanging over the baby, but this will require some skill and will not allow you to completely relax during feeding. nine0003
Dear mothers! Send your questions to [email protected] marked "Question from PandaLand". Answers to the most interesting questions will be published. If you do not want your question to be published, then add the mark "Private message only".
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home > PEDIATRICS > Pediatrician: question-answer > is it possible to feed the baby lying down
Question: / 02-10-2013 15:20
Good afternoon, the ENT gave a leaflet, which says that a child can only be breastfed at an angle of at least 45 degrees.
otherwise, milk can get into the auditory tube, which will cause otitis media. and feeding lying down has long-term consequences in the form of enlarged adenoids and inflammation of the tonsils. please tell me is it true? if yes, how to feed at night? Thanks nine0003
Answer: / 15-07-2020 17:58
Hello, the head of the pediatric department of our Center, pediatrician of the first category Barzenok Tatyana Arsenievna answers you:
Since Soviet times, breastfeeding has been shrouded in myths that have no evidence base. Talk about breast milk "getting into your ears" is one of them. nine0171 Our many years of practice does not confirm any of the statements contained in the leaflet. There is also no such information in the world literature on GW.
Night feeding is a prerequisite for long-term and successful breastfeeding.
