How long do you want your baby to breastfeed or have the bottle?

How will you teach your baby to drink from the cup?

What do you do about nipple-feeding when she starts on solid foods?

What about nipple feeding when she eats family meals?

At first, breastmilk or formula is more important nutritionally than solid foods, so you keep on nursing or bottle feeding along with solids feeding.

Later, your baby will eat more solid foods and take less breastmilk or formula. Then, the solid foods are nutritionally more important, and you stop breastfeeding or formula feeding at mealtime. Instead, you offer a cup.

Here is how you get from the nipple to the cup to the table:

  • At first, give the breastfeeding or formula-feeding before the solid foods. She will like the spoon best if she isn’t hungry and wanting to nurse.
  • After she learns to eat cereal from the spoon, give half the nipple feeding, then the cereal, then offer more nursing, if she wants it. She might be full.
  • She will work her way through lumpy food to pieces of soft table food. Offer her sips of breastmilk or formula from the cup.
  • Soon, she will finger-feed herself at family meals. Give her breastmilk or formula from the cup. Let her lose interest in nipple feeding at mealtime.
  • Offer her big-girl, sit-down snacks at set times between meals and at bedtime. Snacks might still be a breastfeeding or formula-feeding. The changes are sitting down and structure. Don’t let her nurse at odd times or carry a bottle around.
  • When she is eating family food at mealtime and is a year old or more, you may give her whole pasteurized milk in her cup instead of formula.

Starting juice:

Wait to start juice until your baby can drink from a cup. Give juice in a cup, not in the bottle. This is the time for starting to get off the bottle. Putting juice in the bottle keeps her on the bottle.

© Ellyn Satter

Side-Lying Hold

  1. For the right breast, lie on your right side with your baby facing you.
  2. Pull your baby close. Your baby’s mouth should be level with your nipple.
  3. In this position, you can cradle your baby’s back with your left arm and support yourself with your right arm and/or pillows.
  4. Keep loose clothing and bedding away from your baby.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • You had a C-section
  • You want to rest while baby feeds
  • You are breastfeeding in the middle of the night
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Cross-Cradle Hold

  1. For the right breast, use your left arm to hold your baby’s head at your right breast and baby’s body toward your left side. A pillow across your lap can help support your left arm.
  2. Gently place your left hand behind your baby’s ears and neck, with your thumb and index finger behind each ear and your palm between baby’s shoulder blades. Turn your baby’s body toward yours so your tummies are touching.
  3. Hold your breast as if you are squeezing a sandwich. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
  4. As your baby’s mouth opens, push gently with your left palm on baby’s head to help them latch on. Make sure you keep your fingers out of the way.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby is premature
  • Your baby has a weak suck
  • Your baby needs help to stay latched
  • Your baby needs extra head support
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Clutch or “Football” Hold

  1. For the right breast, hold your baby level, facing up, at your right side.
  2. Put your baby’s head near your right nipple and support their back and legs under your right arm.
  3. Hold the base of your baby’s head with your right palm. A pillow underneath your right arm can help support your baby’s weight.
  4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Bring baby to you instead.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • You had a C-section
  • You have large breasts
  • You have flat or inverted nipples
  • You have a strong milk let-down
  • You are breastfeeding twins
  • Your baby likes to feed in an upright position
  • Your baby has reflux
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Cradle Hold

  1. For the right breast, cradle your baby with your right arm. Your baby will be on their left side across your lap, facing you at nipple level.
  2. Your baby’s head will rest on your right forearm with your baby’s back along your inner arm and palm.
  3. Turn your baby’s tummy toward your tummy. Your left hand is free to support your breast, if needed. Pillows can help support your arm and elbow.
  4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby needs help latching on
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Laid-Back Hold

  1. Lean back on a pillow with your baby’s tummy touching yours and their head at breast level. Some moms find that sitting up nearly straight works well. Others prefer to lean back and lie almost flat.
  2. You can place your baby’s cheek near your breast, or you may want to use one hand to hold your breast near your baby. It’s up to you and what you think feels best.
  3. Your baby will naturally find your nipple, latch, and begin to suckle.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby is placed on your chest right after birth
  • You have a strong milk let-down
  • You have large breasts
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position