Cradle Position

Also called: cradle hold

To breast feed a baby in the cradle position, the baby should have it's tummy against the mother's tummy so that when the mother looks down, she can see the baby's side. The baby should be in the mothers lap with it's head level to the mother's breast. The baby's head rests in the crook of the mother's arm, with the forearm supporting the weight as the baby's back will lie along the inner arm. The baby's body should be in a straight line, from ear to shoulder to the hip. Laying the baby on pillows will help get the baby high enough to be level with the breast.

This entry was added to the original BirthWiki by amyncarter on 20 July 2009.