Lotus birth with breast crawl

[Aaliyah777]

Hi:)
Im wondering if anyone here has experience with lotus birth?
I'm considering it, but I really want to allow my baby to do the breast crawl and do laid back nursing as much as possible. Will this be difficult with the cord stil intact?

Thank you!!!

[womenswisdom]

I've seen a few lotus births as a midwifery student. In terms of initial latch and/or breast crawl, some of it depends on how long the cord is and how quickly the placenta separates. Usually it's no problem, but occasionally the cord is short and the baby can't reach the breast until the placenta is out. The breast crawl, if done as seen in the videos you can access online, with no help from anyone, takes around 40 minutes to complete. I find that it's actually fairly unnatural to not touch your baby or help them in their efforts to find the breast. Mothers typically work with their babies instinctively to help them to the right general area and then the baby does the actually latching-on. Once the placenta is out, you package it up with herbs and in cloth diapers and you just tote it around with the baby. It shouldn't interfere with nursing at all other than the cord can feel cold and clammy, which squicks some people out.

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by womenswisdom 

I've seen a few lotus births as a midwifery student. In terms of initial latch and/or breast crawl, some of it depends on how long the cord is and how quickly the placenta separates. Usually it's no problem, but occasionally the cord is short and the baby can't reach the breast until the placenta is out. The breast crawl, if done as seen in the videos you can access online, with no help from anyone, takes around 40 minutes to complete. I find that it's actually fairly unnatural to not touch your baby or help them in their efforts to find the breast. Mothers typically work with their babies instinctively to help them to the right general area and then the baby does the actually latching-on. Once the placenta is out, you package it up with herbs and in cloth diapers and you just tote it around with the baby. It shouldn't interfere with nursing at all other than the cord can feel cold and clammy, which squicks some people out.

This was what I wanted to say.  I think the breast crawl is amazing and beautiful but I see it more as a marvel of nature but not something I'd choose to do.  It seems like torturous somehow to make a newborn who just did all the work of labor have to try to do that.  

[dogmom327]

I agree! While I think it's an amazing thing to watch I don't think I could bear to watch them work that hard. 

[Aaliyah777]

Apparently the success rate among unmedicated, uninterrupted
births is pretty high for first latch. So many moms have trouble
with the latching on at first or just in general. I've read that latching
doesn't have to be so hard and require so much how to info. if
we just let our babies self attach as they were designed to do.
I also agree about watching them work so hard, but I think it would
also be instinct on our part to help the baby somewhat during the
whole process. Who knows how I'll really handle that situation
when I get there, but I'd like to try:). As an extension of the breast
crawl, there is a position called Laid Back nursing in my LLLI
breastfeeding book which involves being in a comfortable
reclined position, allowing the newborn/infant to lie on you and self
attach. This is something you can do ongoing with your baby
even after the first nursing. Anyway it all makes sense to me,
I'm going to give it a try:). Thankyou all for your replies!!! Have
a wonderful day:)

[Youngfrankenstein]

I don't think there's anything wrong with trying if you're heart's set on it, but if, in the moment, you want to reach down and grab that baby, do it!  I think babies being forced to the breast can get in the way of a latch but it sounds like you're already mindful of that and wouldn't do it.  Let the baby "be" and explore; that's fine.  

[womenswisdom]

I agree with you that self-attachment is a wonderful idea. However, I see that as being different from the "breast crawl", which I envision as the baby literally crawling up the mother's belly from the abdomen to the breast, as seen in the breast crawl videos. That's the process I was describing as taking a long time and being fairly unnatural for the mother to just sit there inert and watch her baby make its way to the breast for so long. I think the more typical self-attachment, with mom holding the baby, guiding its head to the general area of the nipple and then allowing the baby to take the lead with the latching-on is a great idea. I think maybe we're just talking about two different things when we say "breast crawl".

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by womenswisdom 

I agree with you that self-attachment is a wonderful idea. However, I see that as being different from the "breast crawl", which I envision as the baby literally crawling up the mother's belly from the abdomen to the breast, as seen in the breast crawl videos. That's the process I was describing as taking a long time and being fairly unnatural for the mother to just sit there inert and watch her baby make its way to the breast for so long. I think the more typical self-attachment, with mom holding the baby, guiding its head to the general area of the nipple and then allowing the baby to take the lead with the latching-on is a great idea. I think maybe we're just talking about two different things when we say "breast crawl".

I think she knows what it is but I don't agree about having the baby do it.  I understand why she might think it's great but I see it as more of a survival thing.
 

[savithny]

Yeah, the only way any primate baby would have to crawl to the breast on its own would be if the mother was completely incapacitated via being busy hemmoraging or having stroked out from eclampsia.   If you see any of our primate relations give birth, they all instinctively catch the baby and lift it up into their arms.   We're not marsupials, and our babies may be *able* to hitch themselves to the nipple, but I feel that denying the urge to pick up and touch your baby in order to test its post-birth instincts is pretty far from "natural."

(side note:  I never found the "laid back nursing" position particularly natural either.  My breasts drop down into my armpits in that position, making it uncomfortable for me and difficult for baby to latch without awkward neck torquing.)

[Aaliyah777]

Hi again!
I really appreciate all the feedback!
All this info. really makes me think. It does make
sense about the breast crawl being survival
instinct. Its true we can't compare ourselves with other
species who cannot pick up there babies with their
hands. Good point! I think self attachment to a certain extent
Still makes sense to a degree because of all the
success stories I've heard compare with a lot of
the "how to" advice that still seems to not work
for some people. Thanks again and keep the feedback
coming:)