Don’t automatically reach for a breastfeeding pillow to give your baby support. Sometimes they work great, but more often they don’t actually line the baby up with where your breast lies naturally, so you end up lifting your breast to the baby. Instead, use your arms to support your baby, and if you need to, tuck cushions under your arms to support you! You can use your arms to bring your baby to the exact right level, and once baby is latched on, slide those cushions in.
In a more reclined position, you’ll find that your baby ends up lying on top of you, so your body supports the weight of your baby and your arms take less of the weight. In a reclined position, gravity helps to keep your baby close too.
Always keep your hands well away from your baby’s head. If necessary, you can provide some support across your baby’s shoulders. Babies will often push back against a hand on their head. (Imagine how you’d feel if someone pushed your head down to your plate of food, so you only had a centimetre of space to work out how to eat it!)