Baby + breast = food. The best food in the world for a baby, in fact. Breast milk provides all the nutrients your newborn needs, boosts her immunity, has huge benefits for your baby’s long-term health and yours — and that’s not to mention the wonderful bonding it promotes.

But just because it’s natural and wonderful doesn’t mean getting baby and breast together comes easily to all mums and bubs. Often problems start with the latch, which is all about getting your baby in a great position to get the milk flowing well. Here’s our guide to perfecting the latch.

1. Get into a comfortable position.

• You could be feeding for an hour. For this reason, it helps to sit upright in a chair, supporting your back and neck with cushions. Have all you need to hand,         including a drink.

• Bring your baby up to the right height.

• Your baby should drain one breast before moving onto the other so make sure you can swap sides easily.

2. Check your baby’s position.

• Her whole body should be facing your breast, so she’s effectively lying on her side rather than on her back.

• Your baby’s body should be in a straight line so she doesn’t have to turn her head to feed from your breast.

• Tuck her in as close as possible to you, with her nose opposite your nipple.

3. Encourage her to feed.

• Stroke her lips with your nipple, in a downward sweep, starting near her nose and moving down over her bottom lip with your nipple. This will encourage her to open her mouth and move towards your nipple (this is known as the rooting reflex).

• When her mouth is wide open, move her towards your breast (rather than your breast towards her) and aim your nipple at the roof of her mouth, where it will rest with her tongue underneath.

Signs of good attachment:

• Your baby’s mouth is wide open and her bottom lip is curled back towards her chin.

• She will have a good portion of the nipple and areola (the coloured bit around the areola) in her mouth.

• Her jaw will move and the tops of her ears wiggle as she sucks. You’ll also hear her gulp as she swallows.

• After a feed your nipple will look round and normal, not pinched or creased.

She hasn’t latched on properly when...

• You hear a clicking noise (the sound of her sucking in air).
• Her cheeks are sucked in (they’d be full if she was feeding properly).
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