How to get a deep latch, step by step

If I could teach every new mother just one thing, it would be the latch. A deep latch means comfortable feeds, a baby who gets milk easily, and a supply that builds well. A shallow one is behind most of the sore nipples and "hungry all the time" worries I see.

The good news: a latch is a skill, not a talent. You and your baby can learn it together.

First, get yourself comfortable

This step gets skipped the most. If you're perched on the edge of the bed, hunched over, you'll end up pulling your baby in awkwardly. Sit back with your back supported, feet flat or on a low stool, and pillows where your arms need them. You might be here for twenty minutes, so settle in.

The latch, one step at a time

1. Tummy to tummy. Turn your baby's whole body towards you. Their ear, shoulder and hip should be in one straight line, not with the head turned to the side.
2. Nose to nipple. Start with your baby's nose level with your nipple. This way they tip their head back a little to reach, which opens the mouth wider.
3. Wait for the yawn. Gently brush your nipple from their nose down to the top lip, then wait. You're waiting for a big, wide-open mouth, like a yawn. This is the part most of us rush.
4. Bring baby to the breast. When the mouth is wide open, bring your baby in quickly with your hand across their shoulders, not behind the head. The chin touches the breast first, then the mouth closes over a big mouthful.
5. Check, then relax. Once your baby is sucking, drop your shoulders and breathe out.

Aim the nipple towards the roof of your baby's mouth, not straight into the middle. That's where it's comfortable for both of you.

Signs the latch is deep

• Lips turned out, like a little fish
• Chin pressed into the breast, nose free or just touching
• More of the dark areola showing above the top lip than below the bottom one
• Cheeks round and full, not sucked in
• After the first few quick sucks, slower deep sucks with swallows you can hear
• Some tugging at first, but no pinching pain after the first few seconds

When it hurts, start again

It's tempting to grit your teeth and carry on. Please don't. Pain means the latch needs adjusting, and carrying on can lead to cracked, bleeding nipples. Slide a clean little finger into the corner of your baby's mouth to break the suction gently, take a breath, and try again.

After a feed, look at your nipple. If it comes out squashed or slanted, like the tip of a new lipstick, the latch was probably shallow.

A few things that make latching harder

• A very sleepy baby, often in the first days or with jaundice
• Engorged, very firm breasts. Hand expressing a little first softens the areola.
• Flat or inverted nipples
• A tongue tie, where the tongue can't move freely
• Early use of bottles or pacifiers, before feeding at the breast is going well

None of these mean you can't breastfeed. They just mean a little extra help is worth it.

Still struggling?

Sometimes it takes someone watching a feed to spot the one small change that makes it click. That's exactly what I do in a consultation, in person or on a video call. For more of the basics, the free New Mother's Breastfeeding Guide covers latching, feeding cues and more.

General information only, not a substitute for personal advice. If your baby isn't feeding well or seems unwell, contact your paediatrician.