Table 2 Relevant terms and definitions
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
Exclusive breastfeeding | The infant receives nothing but milk from the breast, vitamin D and essential medication |
Hands-on latch intervention | Hospital staff, another person or relative uses their own hands to try to attach the infant to the breast with a grip around the infant’s neck and a grip around the mother’s breast/nipple sometimes using more or less force |
Latch-on/latching | The infant is sustained attached to the breast with a wide open mouth over the nipple and the areola or parts of the areola and tongue in close contact with the lower part of the areola |
Latching regularly | The mother perceives that the infant wants to breastfeed; the infant responds by latching-on the breast when it is offered |
Nipple shield | Small plastic or rubber device shaped like the nipple that is placed over the nipple before latching |
No separation | Mother and infant have skin-to-skin contact directly after birth and stay together during the first hour |
Partial breastfeeding | Breastfeeding occurs regularly but the infant is also given supplementation or has started to eat solid food |
Sucking | The infant is sucking the breast with rhythmic movements with pauses in between |