In plain words
An asymmetric latch is a deep way of attaching to the breast. The baby's lower jaw takes in more of the than the upper part does. The chin tends to touch the breast first, and the lower lip often flares outward. Many lactation consultants describe this pattern as the most effective for and comfort. A shallow latch, with mostly nipple in the mouth, can cause pain and less milk removal. Reaching an asymmetric latch takes practice, and the position of your baby's head and neck makes a difference. A can watch a feed and suggest changes that fit you and your baby.
The deeper version
An asymmetric latch involves extension of the infant's neck so that the mandible can depress fully and the chin contacts the breast first, producing more lower areola in the mouth than upper. Flexion of the neck narrows the gape and makes swallowing inefficient. The pattern is described in lactation literature and is the target of most latch-correction guidance, including work on and tongue movement (Geddes and colleagues, 2008). Evidence linking asymmetric directly to nipple outcomes is observational, with variable measurement across studies. The controversy concerns standardized latch assessment tools, which show low inter-rater agreement, and whether a single ideal latch exists across all infants.
Where it comes up
What mothers here say about asymmetric latch
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Sources
- Geddes DT and colleagues, Early Human Development — Tongue movement and intraoral vacuum in breastfeeding infants (2008)