Which Hand Position in Breastfeeding Is Better for Milk Intake: Palmar Grasp or Scissor Grasp? A Pilot Study

Objectives: During breastfeeding, there are two natural hand positions used most often by the mother to introduce her breast to the baby (palmar grasp [C-hold position] and scissor grasp). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the milk intake is affected by the hand position. Materials and Methods: Both healthy term breastfed infants and their mothers were included in the study. Each mother-baby dyad was monitored during two feeding periods (100 mother-baby dyads, 200 breastfeeding sessions). Mothers were asked to grasp their breasts differently (palmar or scissor grasp) in each breastfeeding session. Milk intake was determined by test weighing. Results: One hundred mother-baby dyads were included in the study. There was no statistically significant difference between scissor grasp (34.60 ± 22.16 mL) and palmar grasp (38.30 ± 27.37 mL) positions when evaluated in terms of milk intake (p = 0.13). When asked what position they prefer to breastfeed at home, the majority of them (56%) stated that they preferred scissor grasp positions. In terms of breastfeeding by hand position, there was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.003) between the mothers who received breastfeeding training during pregnancy (59.2% palmar grasp position, 40.8% scissor grasp position) and the mothers who had not (29.4% palmar grasp position, 70.6% scissor grasp position). Conclusions: Our study showed that there was no difference in milk intake between palmar grasp position and scissor grasp position. The mothers should be encouraged to use the hand position that is most natural and comfortable.