Cross-cradle Hold

There are many breastfeeding positions and I encourage you to explore them throughout your breastfeeding journey. The best ones to start with in my opinion are the football hold and the cross-cradle hold. Here we’ll explore the cross-cradle and how to use it to achieve a good deep latch with both comfort and ease.

Breastfeeding can be incredibly rewarding but it also can be the most excruciating and exhausting journey of your life. As an IBCLC I strive to set you up for success by giving you all the tools and resources needed to succeed. Let’s dive in.

The cross-cradle hold is a popular choice for many new parents offering both excellent support and control. Here’s how to use it effectively:

  • Position yourself comfortably: Sit back in a comfortable chair with good back support. Keep your feet flat on the floor or use a footrest if needed. A breastfeeding pillow can be used to position infant at breast-height. 

  • Support your baby: Use your opposite arm (the arm opposite to the breast you are feeding from) and hold your infant from ear-to-ear. Be mindful not to hold baby’s head with your palm as you will elicit their bucking reflex. See photo for proper hand placement.

  • Align baby’s body: Roll infant belly to belly with you, ensuring their head, shoulders and hips are all in alignment.

  • Support your Breast: With your hand closest to the breast you’ll feed on (i.e. left breast, use left hand) hold your breast from underneath making a u-shape. Your thumb and fingers should be far back onto breast not near your nipple.

  • Encourage a good latch: Align infant’s nose to your nipple and tickle their upper lip (i.e. mustache) with your nipple to elicit their reflexes. This should encourage a wide open “baby bird” mouth. When infant is open at their widest point bring them on deeply to the breast with a “shove with love” technique. We should not see any nipple tissue extending in and out of infant’s mouth. Infant’s also have a suckling reflex on the roof of their mouth, so envision your nipple being drawn in deeply enough to reach the roof and their reflex. It needs to be a good deep latch or we’ll see them bouncing on and off of breast.

The cross-cradle hold offers great control, especially in the early days of breastfeeding. With practice, you and your baby can find a comfortable and effective rhythm.