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  • Demonstration of how the gestalt method works with a breastfeeding mother and baby
  • Two videos of mothers breastfeeding in the side-lying position using the gestalt method
  • GESTALT INTERVENTION: Kirsty and 6-week-old Alva PART 2. Dr Pamela Douglas, F2F Nova Health Co. October 2023
  • The breastfeeding mother of a three-week-old baby has nipple damage
  • BREASTFEEDING TWINS: Family #2. Dr Pamela Douglas, F2F Nova Health Co. October 2023
  • BREASTFEEDING TWINS: Family #1. Dr Pamela Douglas, F2F Nova Health Co. October 2023

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  • Parent Stories
  • S1: Breastfeeding
  • CH 1: Demonstrating the gestalt method of fit and hold

Demonstration of how the gestalt method works with a breastfeeding mother and baby

Dr Pamela Douglas30th of Dec 202317th of Dec 2025

The gestalt method of fit and hold is only one part of the Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC) or Possums breastfeeding programs (under development as Breastfeeding stripped bare), but an important place to start. This demonstration video of the gestalt method of fit and hold in a woman who did not report breastfeeding problems was made in 2019. I'm hoping that Breastfeeding stripped bare, the comprehensive NDC approach to breastfeeding and lactation, will be publicly available by the end of 2024. Key elements of the NDC breastfeeding work are also found in The discontented little baby book, and in my research publications, starting here.

Acknowledgements

I gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the mother who agreed to share her experience with her baby in this video, recorded in 2019, for the sake of helping others.

Selected references

Douglas PS, Keogh R. Gestalt breastfeeding: helping mothers and infants optimise positional stability and intra-oral breast tissue volume for effective, pain-free milk transfer. Journal of Human Lactation. 2017;33(3):509–518.

Douglas PS, Geddes DB. Practice-based interpretation of ultrasound studies leads the way to less pharmaceutical and surgical intervention for breastfeeding babies and more effective clinical support. Midwifery. 2018;58:145–155.

Douglas PS, Perrella SL, Geddes DT. A brief gestalt intervention changes ultrasound measures of tongue movement during breastfeeding: case series. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2022;22(1):94. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-12021-04363-12887.

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Two videos of mothers breastfeeding in the side-lying position using the gestalt method

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The baby in the photo above seems to be breastfeeding happily. If there were any problems, the mother might try spreading out her fingers and placing her hand over her little one's bottom and lower back, to pull her in tighter. Then she'd experiment with micromovements.

You can find out about how to apply micromovements and the gestalt method in the side-lying position here.

Here are two videos of babies breastfeeding happily in the side-lying position, as their mothers apply the gestalt method.

Baby 1

Baby 2

You can see the little one in the video below has something of a 'banana back', with…

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Possums acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands upon which The Possums Programs have been created, the Yuggera and Turrbal Peoples. We acknowledge that First Nations have breastfed, slept with, and lovingly raised their children on Australian lands for at least 65,000 years, to become the oldest continuous living culture on Earth. Possums stands with the Uluru Statement from the Heart.