What Do I Do With My Hands?

Finding the Right Hand Position for Breastfeeding

Every baby — and every feeding journey — is unique. The way you position your hands while supporting your breast can make a big difference in how your baby latches, how comfortable you feel, and how efficiently your baby feeds.

In this post, we’ll explore several helpful breastfeeding hand positions — including the C-hold, U-hold, Sandwich hold, Dancer’s hold, and two modified Dancer’s holds — to help you find what works best for you and your baby.

You can see visual examples of each position on my Instagram post for extra guidance.

The C-Hold

How to do it:
Place your thumb on top of your breast and your fingers underneath, forming a “C” shape around the areola. Keep your fingers far enough back so they don’t interfere with your baby’s latch.

Best for:
Most breastfeeding parents — especially when starting out or working on achieving a deep latch. Also great for moms with large breasts or feeding in a baby carrier.

Why it helps:
The C-hold gives gentle, stable support while keeping the nipple and areola easily accessible to your baby. It’s especially helpful for learning to position baby at the breast.

The U-Hold

How to do it:
Position your hand so your fingers are under your breast and your thumb is on the opposite side, forming a “U” shape from the bottom up.

Best for:
Mothers with smaller or fuller breasts, feeding in side lying position, baby’s with a shallow later or maternal preference.

Why it helps:
The U-hold supports the breast from underneath, keeping it lifted and helping direct the nipple toward baby’s mouth. This can make latching easier, especially when gravity is working against you.

The Sandwich Hold

How to do it:
Compress your breast between your thumb and fingers — like gently pressing a sandwich — to make it a shape that fits more easily into your baby’s mouth. Align the “sandwich” with your baby’s lips (so it’s parallel, not vertical).

Best for:
Babies with small mouths, weak latch, newborns, or anyone working on a deeper latch. Can also help moms with short or flat nipples.

Why it helps:
By shaping the breast to fit baby’s mouth, the sandwich hold can help babies latch more deeply and feed more effectively, which can improve milk transfer and comfort for you.

The Dancer’s Hold

How to do it:
Support your breast with your hand in a U-hold, then slide your hand forward so your thumb and index finger form a “U” under your baby’s chin. The remaining fingers support your breast from below.

Best for:
Babies with low muscle tone, weak suck, cleft lip, prematurity, or neuromuscular challenges.

Why it helps:
The Dancer’s hold supports both the breast and your baby’s jaw and cheeks, helping them maintain suction and stay latched with less effort.

Modified Dancer’s Hold: The Teardrop

How to do it:
Form a teardrop shape under your baby’s chin by curling your fingers slightly while supporting the breast. Your fingers rest under your baby’s jaw, providing gentle upward support. The fingers should mimic a closed-lip seal.

Best for:
Babies who tire easily or need a little extra chin and jaw stability while nursing. Can also be helpful with cleft lip or inability to seal lips.

Why it helps:
The teardrop version provides subtle jaw support, improving seal and milk transfer without putting pressure on baby’s chin.

Modified Dancer’s Hold: Two-Finger Jaw Support

How to do it:
Use your index and middle finger to gently support your baby’s jaw while the rest of your hand stabilizes the breast. The fingers stay under baby’s chin — not pressing, just supporting.

Best for:
Babies with poor jaw control, poor coordination, hypotonia (low muscle tone), or difficulty maintaining latch.

Why it helps:
This technique gives babies the extra jaw support they need while allowing you to guide their head and breast position for better alignment and suction.

Which Breastfeeding Hold Is Best?

The “best” hold depends on your breast shape, baby’s needs, and your comfort. You might find that different holds work better at different stages or on different sides. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — and that’s okay!

If you’re struggling with latch, nipple soreness, or milk transfer, reach out for personalized breastfeeding support. As a nurse and IBCLC candidate, I can help you find the positioning and techniques that make feeding easier and more effective for both you and your baby.

See visual examples of each hand position on my Instagram post for extra guidance and tips!