Initiation of Breastfeeding by Breast Crawl

[Chrisa]

Does anyone have a personal experience? I didn't even know it was possible, let alone that most babies do that naturally. It's not how we imagined our first hour with the newborn, but would be willing to adjust if this technique is worth it!

http://breastcrawl.org/video.shtml

[Youngfrankenstein]

I think it's really neat but I'd not do it in real life.

[PatioGardener]

I've seen it happen! Its pretty awesome to watch.
 

[nstewart]

Wow, great video!  DS did crawl up my belly to the breast but was latched on by our nurse.

[WittyNameHere]

My DD (now 13 mos and still EBF) did this. After birth I laid her on my chest so I could have a bit of a rest and she seemed to start "sniffing" around and pulling herself towards my breast. The best way I can describe her movement would be to imagine a blind vampire sniffing and bobbing around someone's neck while trying to find the jugular vein. That is what my DD looked like while looking for my nipple to latch on. It took her a while (like I said, blind vampire), but she eventually got there and latched on her own. We used this method near exclusively for the first few days for a few reasons: I got to lay down (yay!), she got to latch on and nurse in what was the most natural for her, and my husband thought it was a really cool trick. 

Chrisa, you mentioned that this isn't how you imagine your first hour with your newborn but I have to say that this was, for me, the best thing to do. I got to lay back and watch while she did most of the work!

[Chrisa]

Witty, what a wonderful testimony, thank you for sharing!

I should clarify that I would LOVE to be able to do it with my baby; when I said it's not how I imagined the first hour, I was thinking about my husband - I had assumed he'd really want to hold the baby right away and didn't want to deprive him of that experience. But I showed him the video and now he's is up for doing the breast crawl!

[WittyNameHere]

You're welcome! My husband kept wanting to time DD !!!! A few sharp looks from me nipped that in the bud, though I think he was keeping score in his head. 

[womenswisdom]

Self-attachment is a great practice, IMO. I have seen lots and lots of babies self-attach and encourage all the mothers I work with to allow their babies to do so. The "breast crawl", involving the baby crawling all the way up the mother and latching on, is (I think) unnatural. The only way a mother would ignore the overwhelming instinct to bring her baby to her chest is if she were incapacitated in some way. Plus, it takes a really long time. Breastfeeding is a partnership and I certainly don't encourage mothers to just sit back passively and do nothing. Usually moms bring the baby to their chests after the birth and then both rest for a while during/after the placenta delivery. At some point, the baby starts to root around, chew on hands, etc. The mother instinctively moves the baby near the breast and then the baby does their latching-on, which typically takes many attempts before success. The hardest thing for the care providers is to keep their hands OFF the baby/breast. You may have to be firm with the nursing staff or midwife about your preferences. I think it's really important for the baby to learn how the mechanisms of latching on and nursing work without someone (anyone!) taking over and doing it *for* them. The baby's place immediately after the birth is with you, not with Daddy. The baby comes out with the expectation of being on *your* chest and beginning to nurse. There will be plenty of time for your dh to cuddle - those first few hours are essential for you and the baby to be together skin-to-skin.