Laid Back Breastfeeding

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Page updated October 2026

Lay back and get comfy!

We are very used to seeing babies on their backs - while being held, while bottle feeding (although see my bottle feeding page for better ideas!) and when laying down to sleep. Because of this, it’s easy to think that nursing is done by putting the baby on their back and leaning down to feed them.

But in this position, the baby is below you - they feel like they are falling away from you, and makes them do things that actually make latch harder - flail their arms, “breast box”, cry, head bop, shake their head back and forth, kick their legs, arch away, and more. Very often they grab the nipple in a desperate attempt to hold on - ouch! Too often people are told the baby “doesn’t want to feed” or “doesn’t like nursing” This is not true! A flailing baby is actually desperately trying to use their reflexes and instincts to feed, it’s our approach that usually makes it hard for them!

And for the parent, positions that put the baby below you force you to use your arm strength to hold up the baby, or forces you to lean over - putting strain on your neck, shoulders, arms and back.

There are a wide variety of nursing positions that can be wonderful and all of them still work so much better if you are well supported and the baby leaning into you (not below you). This page is devoted to my favorite position of all:

Laid back feeding - the “training wheels” of breastfeeding

(That being said you may like it so much you may use it for a long time to come!).

Babies are hard wired to be tummy down. In this position they have more head and hand control, it brings their jaw and tongue forward, and allows them tap into their instincts and reflexes for a better latch. And, for you, leaning back is usually more comfortable (and you don’t have to fight with your nursing pillow).

• Here are a wonderful related set of resources:

  • An article with the eye-popping title "Many Moms Have Been Taught to Breastfeed Incorrectly"

  • A video on laid back feeding  (~35 min)

  • And, YouTube clips from that video.

• And, here is a lovely video by Global Health Media called “Breastfeeding in the First Hours” - showing babies doing the breast crawl - the baby fully tummy down on their parent right from birth, and finding the breast (mostly) on their own. Note that this video shows the breast crawl right after birth, but because babies have over 20 newborn feeding reflexes, it can be used anytime in the first weeks/months.

• Laid back feeding pairs very well with skin to skin snuggling - a very cozy practice that helps parents and babies regulate their nervous system, breathing, digestion - all of which helps feeding (breast or bottle!) and well-being in general.