Tips for Proper Latch on Breast and Bottle

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Feeding your newborn may not come naturally, especially as a first-time mom, and it’s more common than you may think. It can be so frustrating when your baby is hungry, and you’re ready to feed but it just doesn’t go as smoothly as you had planned. 

One of the biggest challenges, whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding, is often getting a proper latch. A good latch is necessary to help your little one get enough milk, and to make feeding comfortable and enjoyable for both of you.

Let’s see what a proper latch looks like for both breastfeeding and bottle feeding, and how you can help your baby feed efficiently. 

Signs of a Proper Breastfeeding Latch 

If you don’t feel any pain throughout the breastfeeding session, and your baby seems relaxed and comfortable as well, it is likely that you have a good latch. 

Look for these signs to confirm that your baby has latched well:

1. Your baby’s lips are flanged outward like a fish. 
2. Your baby has both the nipple and as much of the areola as possible in their mouth.
3. You can see your baby’s jaw moving up and down, and hear rhythmic swallowing.

If the latch isn’t deep enough, your baby might get frustrated. You might feel pain while breastfeeding. Your baby may also take too long to feed or frequently slip off the breast. 

Signs of a Shallow or Poor Breastfeeding Latch

The following are the most prominent signs that baby is struggling to latch while breastfeeding:

1. You observe lip blisters on baby.
2. You are experiencing pain associated with feeding.
3. You have trauma to nipples (e.g., bleeding, raw, or flattened shape).
4. You hear clicking or smacking noises heard during feeding.
5. Baby frequently falls off the breast.
6. You see munching jaw movements and only using front portion of mouth/jaw (not getting a deep latch).

Sometimes a shallow latch can occur when baby is very hungry or upset before getting into position to eat. To help prevent a shallow latch, it’s important to be aware of baby’s hunger cues. So you can try to latch them on before they get too upset. 

For information on feeding cues, as well as typical feeding schedules and amounts, check out our guide for everything you need to know about feeding your newborn! 

How to Get a Proper Latch with a Newborn

Here are the top three ways to improve breastfeeding latch when feeding your newborn:

Find Your Optimal Nursing Position

Choosing a breastfeeding position where both you and your baby are comfortable is the key to getting a proper latch. 

One of the best and most natural breastfeeding positions for the first few weeks after birth is laid-back nursing. Lean back with your baby tummy-to-tummy. It fully supports your baby’s body, and often leads to a deeper, more comfortable latch. (1)

No matter what breastfeeding position you choose, make sure your baby’s entire body is aligned with you while nursing. They should be belly-to-belly with you, not turning their head or twisting to reach the breast. 

Bring Baby To You

Use your hand to support your breast so that your nipple is in line with the baby’s upper lip, and the bottom of your areola is touching the baby’s chin. It makes them tilt their head back and open their mouth wide. 

Bring your baby onto your breast. Don’t bring the breast to the baby. As they latch on, they should be able to take a large portion of areola (along with the nipple) into their mouth. Their chin should be tucked in your breast, and nose clear for breathing.

As they start drinking milk, their cheeks should look full and rounded. You might feel a gentle tugging sensation, but not pain or discomfort. When you hear audible sucking and swallowing, it means they are taking milk in. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Unlatch

If you’re having difficulty with the latch or if breastfeeding feels painful, unlatch your baby to start again. Gently break the suction by putting your finger inside the corner of your baby’s mouth. 

Adjust your position, and try latching on again. It often takes a few attempts and lots of practice before you achieve a deep, comfortable latch.

If you’re wondering how much milk your newborn should be drinking, download our FREE PDF that outlines breast milk and formula feeding charts for the baby’s first month.

What Does a Proper Bottle Latch Look Like? 

When your baby is properly latched onto a bottle, they should be taking in the whole nipple base, not just the tip of the nipple. This allows for better suckling, reduces air intake, and supports paced bottle feeding. (2)

A good latch while paced bottle feeding mimics breastfeeding, allowing your baby to lead the feeding and pause as needed. This helps prevent overfeeding, and minimizes coughing, gulping, or milk leaking. We cover this in detail in this post that breaks down how to  bottle feed your baby!

How to Support a Proper Bottle Latch

Just like breastfeeding, finding the right position while bottle feeding is important too! (3) The best positions for paced bottle feeding are elevated side-lying, cradle hold and upright feeding. 

Make sure you don’t prop the bottle up. Hold it horizontally, level with your baby’s mouth with a slight tilt. It helps them draw milk in using their natural rhythm rather than letting gravity do most of the work. 

If your little one is having trouble drinking from the bottle, see our tips to help with bottle refusal. 

Best Bottles for Newborns and Infants

If you’re not sure which bottle is best for your baby, here are a few things to consider before you pick one. 

No bottle is universally ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ but as  feeding specialists, we know that some bottles support a breast-like latch, and others don’t. Bottle nipple shape and flow rate matters.

Choose bottles with a long, narrow slope. These are more preferred because they usually promote a deeper latch and healthy oral-motor development.

Try to avoid wide-neck bottles with short nipples. They often promote a chomping pattern because their suction may not be strong enough to maintain a deep latch.

Choose flow rate based on your baby’s needs, not just the ‘recommended age’. You don’t have to go up in the nipple flow rate as your baby grows. Most babies may not go up in the flow rate past a Level 2 (or a medium flow rate), which is totally normal! 

We explain all of this and more in this blog about bottle feeding! 

What to Do If My Baby Won’t Latch?

If your baby won’t latch properly, despite your best efforts, get in touch with a lactation consultant or a feeding specialist who can help you troubleshoot your specific issue with personalized guidance. It’s never too early to get help if you need it!

We also have so many resources for new parents! Our team of pediatric experts came together to create the most comprehensive resource to help you feed your baby, no matter which way you do it!

Our Infant Feeding Handbook is your go-to for ALL the ways to feed your baby from birth to six months old, including nursing, pumping and bottle feeding. Check it out HERE!

Sources:

1. Qi, Y., Wu, H., Wang, H., & Peng, Y. (2021). The effectiveness of the laid-back position on lactation-related nipple problems: a meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21, 295.
2. Ventura, A. K., Drewelow, V. M., & et al. (2023). Does paced bottle-feeding improve the quality and outcome of bottle-feeding? Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 
3. Müller, J., & Chen, J. (2019). Bottle-feeding an infant feeding modality: An integrative literature review. Infant, Child & Adolescent Nutrition, 11(3), e12345.