Photos of mothers with generous breasts using the gestalt method of fit and hold as they breastfeed

The photos on this page show how some mothers with more generous breasts applied the gestalt method, to breastfeed without pain and without baby fussing.

In the photo above, the lady

1. Breastfed when reclining back at about 45 degrees, which opened up her lap and helped expose the landing pad of her breast

2. Used a tightly rolled up face cloth tucked up very high under her breast to better expose the landing pad

3. Used micromovements to ensure the little one had a symmetrical, deep face-breast bury, and was relaxed and stable during breastfeeding

4. Tucked her little one up literally underneath the other breast, so that her breast rested on the baby girl's hip and body, which gave the baby the best biomechanics for breastfeeding.

Baby 1

This woman in the photo above is more reclined than you can detect in this photo. She is using her upper arm, forearm, and importantly, the baby's face, to support her breast. The baby is feeding well in this position, although the spine is not as aligned as we like to see - there is a twist to the head, as if the baby might be falling away from the breast. Lying back even further could help. The most important change she could make is to lift the breast on the right, and bring the baby's bottom up under her breast, so that there is a true rib-cage wrap with the breast resting on top of the baby. Also, it might help to bring the forearm slightly out towards the viewer, so that the head is better supported, and the mother has more control over helping the baby bury his face into her breast. It may be, though, that she's been experimenting with gestalt breastfeeding and has found that this compromise, of offering some support to her breast with her forearm even though it affects what she can do with the baby's head, is most workable for her and her baby.

Baby 2

This woman's nipple pain in the three photos above immediately resolves with the gestalt method. She had previously been told to lift her breast, shape it, and press the breast towards the baby's mouth, which resulted in drag of breast tissue in her mouth and pinching of the nipple as the feed progressed. We have also placed a tightly rolled up face-washer under the breast she is feeding from.

Baby 3

This woman uses the baby's face to stabilise her generous breast. The baby's deep face-breast bury, helped by a very semi-reclined position, means that there is no breast tissue drag.

Acknowledgements

I gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the women who agreed to share their experiences with their babies in these photos, for the sake of helping others.