Why firm elbow support matters when you're sorting out breastfeeding problems
Our first priority is to use your forearm lever to discover, millimetre by millimetre, where the baby is most stable and dialled down, or where you don't have nipple pain.
That means that once we've found the right fit and hold, your elbow is likely to be out in the air somewhere. This of course will quickly result in neck and shoulder pain, and can't be sustained for long.
Some women are taught to breastfeed with their upper arm hanging straight down from their shoulder, held in by the side of their body. This certainly protects the shoulder and neck from tension and pain - but unfortunately seriously limits the amount of experimentation you can do with micromovements. It can be very difficult to find a stable pain-free position for your baby at the breast when your upper arm is tucked in against your side, hanging vertically like this.
In the gestalt method, we find the right position first, which means your arm and elbow are often out in the air, and then we bring in very firm support under the elbow on the side you're feeding from just as soon as possible.
In the clinic I use buckwheat cushions, which work well. I choose the best sized buckwheat cushion, then mould it to fit exactly where the woman's elbow is now that we've found 'the sweet spot', without disrupting her and her baby's position. I make sure she can relax her shoulder and arm completely, letting the cushion securely take her weight.
You might use a pile of folded up towels, or a yoga block which is helped to reach the right height with a folded up towel or two on it, or a very firm cushion if you have one. Needless to say, given how diverse our human anatomies are, the height required varies dramatically between women.
In the photo at the top of the page, the breastfeeding mother and I improvised with the cushions that were at hand. She was able to completely relax her shoulder and let that pink cushion take the weight of her elbow. But it was somewhat saggy. If a cushion is too saggy, a breastfeeding woman is unable to completely relax her arm and shoulder while keeping baby stable in the pain-free position that she's found. A pile of folded towels might work best.
