a free breastfeeding tutorial from the vessel village

open posture tutorial

for first-time feeding mothers, and anyone learning to feed with more space in her body.

feeding doesn't have to mean hunching, bracing, or holding your breath until it's over. when your body is open, your baby's body can open too. this short video walks you through how we set up a feed in the village, from the first hours after birth to ten months and beyond.

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the three contacts

before every feed, check in with three things. when your body is open, your baby's body can open too.

1

your body

plant your feet on something sturdy and press them forward. let your hips settle back, soften and lengthen your belly, and let your ribs open. then bring your baby to the breast and let your spine stay long. there's no need to lean or curl over to meet them.

2

your surface

choose somewhere sturdy, ideally with support for your back, where your feet can rest down and forward. the surface holds you so your arms and shoulders don't have to.

3

your baby's body

support the head and let it rest gently back so the throat stays open. this frees the jaw to drop and glide as they feed. their eyes look up toward your opposite armpit or shoulder, with space around their belly, hips and pubic bone.

positions that grow
with your baby

the newborn days

start with cross-cradle or koala.

as they grow

shift toward cross-koala when it feels right for your dyad.

every season

the same open posture carries through each stage, including tandem nursing, where you and each baby stay open.

a note on nurse gymnastics

wiggling, kicking, rolling and reaching mid-feed? that's your baby's body doing exactly what it's meant to do. this movement is developmentally right on, and you can let it happen.

keep an eye on your inbox

over the next few days, we'll send you a little more on feeding, your baby's body, and how we support mothers in the village.

made with love by the vessel village