My baby won't latch onto the breast. What should I do?

Have you had a baby and can't get them to latch onto the breast? First of all, don't panic too much, because in most cases, even if it’s difficult, they will eventually latch on. In fact, babies are born ready to suckle and with a little patience and love, they will learn to latch on, driven by their natural instinct.

Skin-to-skin

There is always talk about the many benefits of skin-to-skin contact from the very first minute after birth. One of these almost magical benefits is that the baby is able to smell and crawl to the nipple and latch on. They do this thanks to glands called Montgomery glands, located around the nipple, which secrete a substance that lubricates the area and guides babies to the nipple through scent.

Fortunately, this is a practice that is becoming more widespread, which promotes and facilitates breastfeeding and helps the baby latch onto the nipple naturally.

But what if my baby has trouble latching?

Some babies, due to their anatomy, may have difficulty latching onto the breast or maintaining that latch. An example is when babies have a short frenulum, a very small or very prominent jaw, or when there is an infection.

In all these cases, starting breastfeeding can be more complicated than expected, so it is advisable to seek help from a lactation consultant, stay calm, and be very patient.

It also affects the baby’s latch if they had to be separated from the mother right after birth, whether due to prematurity, complications during delivery, or other reasons. Most babies will be able to latch when they are back in contact with the mother. But this is not always the case.

What can I do to help them latch?

Although success is not guaranteed because every situation is different, here are some tips:

• As we said, the main thing is to seek good breastfeeding advice, whether from a specialized consultant, a midwife, or the pediatrician.

• Encourage skin-to-skin contact so the baby can follow their instinct and latch spontaneously. Even older babies can do this.

• Anticipate their hunger cues. Offer the breast before they are hungry so they don’t latch anxiously or nervously.

• You can also express a little milk before putting the baby to nurse, making it easier for them and requiring less effort.