lactation specialist

i'm going to be demonstrating now the crosscradle hold. this happens to be my favorite hold for a new born because you?re helpingthe baby's head by guiding him onto the breast. with the cross cradle hold, um, it's oppositeof the cradle. you?re going to be using your thumb and index and middle finger to supportthe baby's head. so your going to bring it back here behind (your thumb) behinds thebaby's ear and then your other two fingers behind the baby's ear on the other side andyour hand and your palm of your hand supporting the top of your baby's back. so you have controlover the baby?s head. ok? and supporting their back and their weight here. so with this you'regoing to be using your other hand to support and compress your breast and holding the baby'shead. as soon as the baby's mouth opens wide

you?re going to guide the baby's head on withyour hand on to the breast. let me show you that again. so you?re going to support andcompress your breast and with you guiding the baby, not with the baby latching on himself,as soon as he opens his mouth wide you're going to guide his head onto the breast. andthat's the cross cradle hold which is really good for newborns. after they master openingtheir mouth wide you can then come across and hold them this way and move into thatcradle position to give your hand a rest.