Breast Crawl

[earthnut]

I plan to let my DD do the breast crawl. It sounds like an awesome experience. Has anyone done it? What was the experience like?

(for those not familiar with the breast crawl, here's a video about it: http://breastcrawl.org/video.htm)

EDIT: Here's an article about the same thing, here dubbed "baby-led latch": http://www.todaysparent.com/baby/breastfeeding/article...

[Pinoikoi]

hmm... I am pretty sure that is what ds did with my last birth.. only we were a bit more elevated/slanted. I was definitely not on my back like that. He nursed within about 6 minutes of birth on his own, though.

[mambera]

Didn't work. She tooled around on my belly for about 40 minutes with no apparent interest in nursing. At that point the nurse decided it was time to encourage her, which didn't work either. We eventually gave up and latched her later with the simultaneous help of about 3 or 4 different people.

[Smokering]

We tried it, but she took her sweet time about it and my midwife wanted the placenta out, so we kinda gave up and latched her on. If she doesn't succeed in life I'll note that as her first instance of underachieving.

[Banana731]

It is quite neat that babies will do that, it's amazing what we are capable of instinctually. That being said, I found that the "breast crawl" went against my instincts as a mother. When I give birth, I want my baby in my arms! I waited until my baby seemed ready to latch to try to nurse, but I wanted her close immediately. It's good that babies have that survival mechanism, but I'm not sure it's necessary to make them use it, just because they can. kwim?

[rlmueller]

Insticts are so cool though

Very neat watching.

[AllyRae]

I had a c-section and the baby was in the nursery for 4 hours afterwards (she was preterm and had some breathing issues). The first time I held her, I had no top on and the nurses put her on my chest. Because of the circumstances, I didn't expect anything, but much to everyone's surprise (MIL, DH, the nurses, and a doula were in the room), she DID do the breast crawl and tried to latch on (she had sucking issues, but that was due to being preterm). I was SO happy!

ETA: It took way less than 5 minutes with her. Guess she was hungry and ready. :

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by Banana731

It is quite neat that babies will do that, it's amazing what we are capable of instinctually. That being said, I found that the "breast crawl" went against my instincts as a mother. When I give birth, I want my baby in my arms! I waited until my baby seemed ready to latch to try to nurse, but I wanted her close immediately. It's good that babies have that survival mechanism, but I'm not sure it's necessary to make them use it, just because they can. kwim?

Ditto! I really wanted to let DD do the breast crawl, but once she was out, I just desperately wanted to hold her and bring her to my breast. She latched on like a champ right away. I think the fact that they can do it means that if mom is incapacitated, they might be able to get themselves up there...but when mom is fine, great to go ahead and bring baby to breast.

[GreenGranolaMama]

DS had to undergo phototherapy for 3 days after birth, I wanted him close so they brought the phototherapy lights into our room and set them up all around the bed and DH and I took turns laying under the lights with DS... DS had to be naked so I (DH as well when he took over so I could rest) went topless so we could have skin to skin contact... we would start him on my belly and he would wiggle all the way up my chest to my breasts, it was amazing... it was especially cute when DH would take a turn and DS would try to find DHs breast lol

[bubbamummy]

I let my son do it, he crawled up my belly to my breast but didnt seem to want to latch, I got bored of waiting and stuffed my nipple in his mouth ...we had hideous breastfeeding issues so maybe I put him off? I will be MUCH more relaxed with baby number two.

[HappyMommy2]

I would just put the baby to the breast and let it breastfeed.

The nurse forced me to do this with DC1, and looking back I just feel horrible and mean. Poor thing, traumatized and now forced to crawl to eat when only an hour old...? If you just got ejected from a nice warm womb, wouldn't you just want to curl up on mommy's boobies??

For background, DC1 was an unnecessarean for failure to wait. I believed what the docs told me even when it went against what I knew. (pitocin, etc.)

Afterwards, in recovery, when they finally brought my baby, I kept saying, "shouldn't I just put him to the breast?" and the nurse kept saying "no". (Duh - why did I listen!!!!!) I think she was performing her own experiments or something, it was awful.

[We had an awful time nursing, I could only bear the horrid pain for 2 weeks, and ended up pumping for 3 months and then quitting. I believe all of these things contributed to that still-heart-wrenching failure]

After my HBAC with DC2, I nursed her right away in my own bed, and she is still nursing strong at 2.3 years. The midwife just stuck my boob in the baby's mouth.

Bottom line, it may be cool, and some babies may do it, but I would definitely not do it. And I would certainly not do it for 40 minutes! That just makes me sad, poor frustrated minutes-old baby being so close to warm boobies and yet unable to move to them. Good grief, nurse the baby!!!

If you absolutely must try it, perhaps you could bring her to your breast after just a couple minutes of torture.

Just my humble opinion.

[Peace+Hope]

does anyone know of other video examples of this? i told my husband about it, and he doesn't believe me! i'd just like to see more variety...

i think i'll feel like cuddling my baby immediately too, but wow, amazing they can do it themselves! i wonder if it would help with avoiding latching issues to let them get there at their own pace? or if at least reclining and bringing the baby up stomach to stomach that way is better for first latching than holding baby on her side or back?

anyway, the baby in the video didn't seem traumatized or upset, even by the huge crowd gathered around

[earthnut]

I would like to know of other videos too. The website with the video claims that there is better latch when the baby initiates on their own, which is a big reason I want to try it. Also, it seems to me like the baby could use some rest after the trauma of birth!

[noobmom]

Originally Posted by Limabean1975

Ditto! I really wanted to let DD do the breast crawl, but once she was out, I just desperately wanted to hold her and bring her to my breast. She latched on like a champ right away. I think the fact that they can do it means that if mom is incapacitated, they might be able to get themselves up there...but when mom is fine, great to go ahead and bring baby to breast.

Yep, I agree with that. The video is cool, but I can't imagine not scooping up the baby ASAP. A guess a compromise would be holding the baby to the breast, but allowing her to latch on herself.

[blessedwithboys]

this video made me sick. a male birth attendant "allows" cheek to cheek contact to the (lithotomy-positioned) mother and then puts the baby on her chest for the "breast crawl". the poor mother stays flat on her back and cant even see her new baby. this is the process they are advocating to raise bf rates?! sorry, i just dont get it.

[JorgieGirl]

Yeah, it's one of those things that is nice to know is possible when necessary. Definitely not something I would even consider doing for a split second unless there were extreme circumstances surrounding the birth.

[lifeguard]

I agree with pp - kind of neat but no way I would be able to not scoop my baby up & cuddle him close asap!!!

Ok - I just actually watched the video (it wasn't working for me before) & watching the poor little guy root & root. I don't understand the point?

[AllyRae]

Originally Posted by HappyMommy2

If you absolutely must try it, perhaps you could bring her to your breast after just a couple minutes of torture.

Just my humble opinion.

Wow, uh, yeah...fwiw, this isn't torture. Seriously, a bit of an overreaction, eh?

Honestly, it was more torturous for DS1 when I was trying to get him to latch on after a vaginal birth and nurses were shoving his head into my chest with a doula contorting my baby and my breast to get him latched on than it was for DD2 after a c-section to spend less than 5 minutes on my chest snuggling and exploring. I wasn't trying to do the breast crawl, I was snuggling her and looking at her and she was doing it on her own. And she didn't show a tiny ounce of frustration...it was very peaceful and precious and calm...

So, perhaps you need to step back a bit and think about your words a bit. It was far from torture. Torture is something that causes harm and stress and is unrelenting...not something calm and peaceful where all parties are safe and happy.

[Pinoikoi]

Yeah, I didn't see any torture. Kind of reminded me of when a baby first decides it wants a toy or something and decides to crawl up to it for the first time.

With my ds, I was more inclined/not quite sitting.. and I was cuddling him and he went after the breast anyway.. I was exhausted and not really interested in trying to get him to nurse ASAP- he had other plans apparently... so I allowed him to do what he wanted/ didn't pressure/force to the breast (like with my other newborns who didn't "get" nursing right away)...

[earthnut]

I don't see why the breast crawl is incompatible with cuddling the baby or lying at an incline. I wouldn't do it exactly like the video, but that's the only video I know of. To me, the baby and mother seem quite relaxed and it doesn't strike me as a thing to do only if the mother is incapacitated. It just seems like a calm, low-pressure way to introduce the baby to the world.