Keep baby's hands bare when you're 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.

Baby's hands need to be bare and free to explore your breast and body. We want those little hands and arms to embrace your breast, not caught between your and the baby's body where they will interfere with the breastfeeding reflexes. For this reason, we would always unwrap a baby prior to breastfeeding.

We can be patient with little hands that seem to get in the way - eventually, if the breastfeeding reflexes are turned on and the baby is flat against you, so that the hands can't get between your and his or her body, the baby will sort them out. He or she might even suck on them for a while, until it becomes apparent they aren't providing milk and further exploration is required!

We can use a mix of patient waiting, and gentle nudging or pushing or tucking of the hands out of the way. It's important though to never be fighting your baby.

Selected references

Colson SD, Meek JH, Hawdon JM. Optimal positions for the release of primitive neonatal reflexes stimulating breastfeeding. Early Hum Dev. 2008;84:441-449.

Douglas PS, Keogh R. Gestalt breastfeeding: helping mothers and infants optimise positional stability and intra-oral breast tissue volume for effective, pain-free milk transfer. Journal of Human Lactation. 2017;33(3):509–518.

Douglas PS, Geddes DB. Practice-based interpretation of ultrasound studies leads the way to less pharmaceutical and surgical intervention for breastfeeding babies and more effective clinical support. Midwifery. 2018;58:145–155.

Douglas PS, Perrella SL, Geddes DT. A brief gestalt intervention changes ultrasound measures of tongue movement during breastfeeding: case series. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2022;22(1):94. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-12021-04363-12887.

Moore ER, Berman N, Anderson GC, Medley N. Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016(Issue 11. Art. No.: CD003519):DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD14003519.pub14651854.

Schafer R, Watson Genna C. Physiologic breastfeeding: a contemporary approach to breastfeeding initiation. Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health. 2015;60:546-553.

Smillie CM. How infants learn to feed: a neurobehavioral model. In: Watson CG, editor. Supporting sucking skills in breastfeeding infants. New York: Jones and Bartlett Learning; 2016. p. 89-111.