Is your head spinning from all the ways you can feed your baby yet? No? Good! Because I have a breastfeeding hold for moms with larger breasts.
And that may very well be ALL of you right after birth. I know mine were huge. I looked like I had escaped from the Playboy mansion. Ok, so only my boobs did, but that’s beside the point.
What is the teacup hold for breastfeeding?
The teacup hold is quite similar if you’re familiar with the sandwich technique. Its goal is to help pinch things down to make it easier for little mouths to get enough breast in them to suckle for milk.
Even with big breasts and big nipples, breastfeeding can be accomplished. Though it may seem difficult simply because newborns are so tiny. And they have tiny mouths. And! They have a bit of a recessed chin, which I discussed recently, so check that out.
If you’re a mom with large breasts, large nipples, large areolas, or all of these, then the teacup hold is a breastfeeding move you’ve got to put in your playbook.
How to do the teacup breastfeeding hold?
First, you’ll want to support those jumbo breasts. A rolled-up towel or small blanket under your breast can really help.
Now you can simply focus on holding the area just beyond your areola. You’ll want to employ a bit of the sandwich technique for squishing your breast down into a better bite for your baby.
As for the teacup hold, you’ll pinch up the skin on the edges of that areola to make it flatter. Now, hold your finger across the tip of your nipple, so it looks like you’re holding one of those really nice teacups, the kind your mom (mine, too!) would never let you go near as a child. Just try not to dream of scones and lovely little tea sandwiches like I’m currently doing as I write this.
A great way to make sure you’ve got things right is by sitting in front of a mirror while you’re doing this to watch the latch on.
Alternatively, you can let your nursing bra help you. Many moms feel more comfortable using a supportive nursing bra that opens up at the cup for feedings. As for me, I’ve always hated bras, so any chance I have to fling mine across the room, I do so. The key here is being comfortable for yourself and for the baby too.
That’s really all there is to the teacup hold for breastfeeding. If you find it works for you, that’s wonderful. All mamas deserve to be comfortable when nursing. If it ever hurts or feels uncomfortable, do something about it.
Sometimes, the latch is perfect, but YOU are not comfortable. Trust me; newborns will nurse for about 30 to 45 minutes per session in those early days (they will eat more quickly soon enough, so please don’t freak out). You must find a position that works for you both, and I hope this teacup hold does the trick!
Leslie Berry lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Altos, California, where she loves helping other moms get comfortable with motherhood and embracing the insanity with facts peppered with laughs.
