Popular advice which disrupts fit and hold

Dr Pamela Douglas7th of Aug 202325th of Dec 2024

Each of the situations below can interfere with a stable fit and hold, and result in breastfeeding problems.

Haakaa use at the same time as you breastfeed (this applies to a standard hakaa with a bottle - the ladybird hakaa doesn't interfere with fit and hold)
Pumping while breastfeeding
Breast compression and massage while breastfeeding
Shaping your breast to bring baby on
Using a pillow on your lap
Aiming for 'nipple to nose' when bringing baby on (sometimes referred to as 'nipple to crown')
Waiting for a wide gape before bringing baby on
Holding baby's head in the crook of your arm
Starting with baby's face and mouth lower than your breast.

You'll find out why these things can cause problems as you work through how to use the gestalt method in Possums Breastfeeding & Lactation.

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How women and their babies fit together for pain-free, enjoyable breastfeeding

The gestalt method of fit and hold is only one part of the Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC) or Possums breastfeeding programs (under development as Breastfeeding stripped bare), but an important place to start. This version of the gestalt method of fit and hold for breastfeeding women has been available since 2016. I'm hoping that Breastfeeding stripped bare, the comprehensive NDC approach to breastfeeding and lactation, will be publicly available by the end of 2024. Key elements of the NDC breastfeeding work are also found in The discontented little baby book, and in my research publications, starting here.

Gestalt: a whole that is more than the sum of its parts

The gestalt approach to helping with fit and hold in breastfeeding is a genuinely holistic form of bodywork, which I refer to as evolutionary bodywork. The gestalt method is built on the belief that you are the expert on your own...

Popular advice which disrupts fit and hold

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Gestalt: a whole that is more than the sum of its parts

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