Two mothers' stories on latch complications due to unwanted birth interventions and how they worked through the initial struggle: Breastfeeding: If at First You Don't Succeed
Additional good books, articles and websites for nursing mothers at the Breastfeeding Resources Page.
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I have experienced it with two babies and cant wait to see my third do it too! I am always amazed!
ReplyDeleteIt's so awesome! Had it with #1, unfortunately couldn't do with #2
ReplyDeleteI was so glad that my baby was allowed to achieve this first milestone, even after a c-section (non-elective). I truly believe that letting the baby find their own way to the breast leads to fewer problems with nursing and a great nursing relationship. 2 months on, and Felix is still exclusively breastfed, with a great latch despite his tongue-tie. I wouldn't dream of doing things any other way!
ReplyDeleteso precious!
ReplyDeleteI have had one medical birth and 2 natural and the difference in breastfeeding and bonding was astonishing to me!
ReplyDeleteThere was no way I was able to do this with my first born but I would love to give it a shot with my next baby, it is on the list as is unmedicated and staying away from the hospital as long as possible.... including possibly homebirth even though I was against it (as a choice for me) previously.
ReplyDeleteAs beautiful as it is and wonderful to see the abilities of newborns, I'm always thinking - just help that little guy out! lol I nursed my babies right away, but helped them up there!
ReplyDeleteUsha: The way it was explained to me was that the baby instinctively knows what to do and how to get to the breast. This is basically the first 'milestone' the baby will achieve. Apparently it leads to a stronger nursing relationship with fewer breastfeeding issues (latch etc). I know what you mean about wanting to help them out though, and my little man did get a slight nudge in the right direction, but then found the nipple and started feeding all on his own.
ReplyDeleteI had a c-section too and didn't get to hold my son skin-to-skin for at least half an hour after he was born, which is when he did this 'crawl'.
A friend of mine had a bad breastfeeding experience because the midwives helped too much and very poorly. Her little girl had the breast shoved into her mouth and she never wanted to nurse after that. I believe this can happen when we want to help too much...
ReplyDeleteI had big-time intervention with both of my births, thanks to extremely elevated blood pressure during my pregnancies, so I never got to experience the magic, but man, this video made me miss nursing babies sooooooooooooo much!
ReplyDeletemy twins never learned to suckle. However my newest daughter was born at home, and was placed on my chest immediately, she nursed right away. I rmember her crawling to get to my breast. She would laid on my chest and bob her head back and forth until she found my nipple.
ReplyDeleteSweet note: My oldest twin daughter was watching this with me and when the last baby went to latch on she said in the sweetest voice "no baby, you no bite you mommy, no bite mommy's booby." I said she's eating like Corinne does, she's eating nooners. She said "awwww, get nooners baby."
I love these videos! I really want to do this when my baby is born.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was homebirthed, left alone on me after her birth, and she crawled (inched) her way up to my breast successfully in just about a minute after lying her on my stomach, which was about thirty seconds after she came out.
ReplyDeleteWe've never had an issue with latch or feeding. She is now 29 months and still breastfeeds about once a day, as she sees fit. She will wean herself, when she is ready.
I am happy to answer any questions, if anyone has any.
i really believe it is important to talk about these things even though not everyone has achieved their ideal birth and may be hurting.
ReplyDeletei circ'd both my boys before i knew any better. does seeing all the posts about how harmful and awful it is hurt me? YES! the regret and pain i feel is gut wrenching every time. but i feel very strongly that other people have a chance to get the info before they make a mistake that they can't change.
while we should support moms who are hurting and try to help them heal, we should not silence the invaluable information that might help keep many other women from making choices that they will later regret.
♥
This was both beautiful and informative. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed every time I get to see a baby or child nurse up close like that. Its just amazing to me, even my two year old nursing amazes me. What a beautiful video.
ReplyDeleteahh this just breaks my heart. so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this!
ReplyDeleteinteresting experience with this....
ReplyDeletei tore quite badly with my son's birth (for good reasons) and since i was unexpectedly at the hospital they induced my placenta (against my will, after no drugs for labour & birth, but they seemed to need it out prior to my many stitches). Another point of surrender for me the mother bear who wanted to just keep the placenta attached until it fell off.
Possibly because my son had pooped in the womb, the doc put him on me at first but then the nurses took him as soon as they could, to clean him and measure him, i guess, which i thought was unnecessary. But because of the pitocin, my nipples went completely flat and nonexistent! Artan crawled to my breast but found no nipple. i have huge nipples but they were not there at all. This took three days to correct - my nipples after about a day once i started pumping were fine, and we dropper-fed him, but Artan & I had three days of awkwardness, where we'd only get a good nursing session when the lactation consultant helped, trying but not getting the regular feedings i had always imagined.
then finally i took him into the bath tub with me and we did some rebirthing-like breath-work and then it was as though the anxiety dissolved for both of us, we nursed successfully and it became the most magical three years of my life.
We all have such unique experiences. My Yoni was sewn up by an Olympic Gold Medalist (speed-skating, 88) who was ironically the only person at my birth who hadn't introduced his or herself to me. "Attempted UC ends in bizarre lessons."
Blessings in Ecstatic Mothering ♥
one of the most beautiful experiences ever. It was like magic seeing my little man crawl to my breast. Out of 4 children, he was the only one left to do what came naturally.
ReplyDeletequite same experience. the bath-rebirthing experience worked for me too, after three weeks of stress and tube feeding. maybe this should also be more talked about... an idea!
ReplyDelete@ Marna - Thank you for sharing your story!
ReplyDeleteI never had the patience to try this although I had read about it and was curious. My momma instinct just strongly kicks in and I have a 'need' to put babe to breast as soon as they are born.
That was fascinating. I knew it was possible but I'd never seen it before.
ReplyDeleteI had a completely natural childbirth. My breastfeeding problem when my son was born was that I had no milk. No one has ever been able to tell me why with any certainty but it likely because I am diabetic. After much pumping, Mothers Milk Tea and subsequently fenugreek, letting the baby suckle and LUCK I started getting drops of milk after 7 days.
Unfortunately, it took me a very long time to produce enough milk to breastfeed him exclusively so I had to supplement with formula for his first two months. My doctors all thought I would never be able to breastfeed but giving up was not an option for me. Now he's completely breastfed and is happy and thriving.
Life threw many lemons at me before, during, and after my pregnancy. But no matter how much things seem to be going against us we should never give up. Truly if there is a will there's a way.
That was fascinating. I knew it was possible but I'd never seen it before.
ReplyDeleteI had a completely natural childbirth. My breastfeeding problem when my son was born was that I had no milk. No one has ever been able to tell me why with any certainty but it likely because I am diabetic. After much pumping, Mothers Milk Tea and subsequently fenugreek, letting the baby suckle and LUCK I started getting drops of milk after 7 days.
Unfortunately, it took me a very long time to produce enough milk to breastfeed him exclusively so I had to supplement with formula for his first two months. My doctors all thought I would never be able to breastfeed but giving up was not an option for me. Now he's completely breastfed and is happy and thriving.
Life threw many lemons at me before, during, and after my pregnancy. But no matter how much things seem to be going against us we should never give up. Truly if there is a will there's a way.
Awesome Christina, I wish more mamas had your determination.
ReplyDeleteThey actually showed this video in my breastfeeding class at the hospital. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteMy second son did this newborn crawl and latched on after a natural birth with no medication. It was so AMAZING. However my first son (same type of birth) did not and took AGES to learn how to suck. Fascinating how each bub was so different after a nearly identical birth.
ReplyDeleteMy son did this, it was just amazing to experience this just not long after his birth. We were all together in our bed, just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThat is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. (aside from my newborn son)
ReplyDeleteHOW Beautiful...OMG moved to tears... Thank you for posting this!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely the most fascinating thing I've ever seen! I've never heard of this until now. In hindsight, it makes sense to me now all those times my son "bobbed and flopped" while laying on my chest...I did have issues with breastfeeding him. I was induced and while I tried going natural when they unnecessarily upped the pitocin, it became unbearable... I want to do this! But I have so many questions...And I'm worried that the hospital (unfortunately, I'm "high risk") won't let me do it.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I saw photographs of this process in the book Your Amazing Newborn and we told our midwife we wanted to try it with the baby we were expecting. Despite being born in the bathtub, and having to transfer over to our bed, the process was not disrupted and our newborn son crawled and sniffed and bobbed his little head with his eyes shut and found the breast and a perfect latch. Our breastfeeding relationship was off to a wondrous and amazing start (and still going strong at 20 months...)
ReplyDeleteThank you for promoting awareness of the instinctual abilities of babies to breastfeed.
This is awesome...I wish I would have done this with my two, I bet they both would have been able to open their mouths much wider for a better latch.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know if this encourages further motor development in these infants as well.
My homebirth waterbirth baby did this newborn crawl and selfattachment. I had heard about it and decided to let him try and he totally did it to my shock and amazement. Babies are waaaay smarter than we realize!
ReplyDeleteAs a nightshift nurse working postpartum, i spent most of my shift answering call lights and going from one room to the next all night long trying to help these medicated, interfered with babies get to the breast. it was so hard for them and the mothers felt so bad about themselves that they couldn't get their newborns to feed. this is so misunderstood! thanks for posting :)
ReplyDeleteJen, did you get out of the water, or were you still in the water when he crawled and attached?
ReplyDeleteI would love to be able to do this. However I am having twins what kind of effect will there be considering after the first I will still be in labor for the second. Anyone who has any advice on that will be great.
ReplyDeleteWhen my third child was born by planned c section she was placed immediately on my chest where we snuggled for a while, and in recovery when i could move her lower down, she crawled up and latched herself, it is incredible to watch and i want C section Mummies to realise that just because you need to have a section, doesn't mean you need to miss out on anything else :)
ReplyDeletePerhaps i am one of the lucky ones, but there is no reason why you cant be too!
That is soo amazing! I wish I would have known about the 'Breast Crawl' when I was having my babies. Almost makes me want to have another one just to try it. Thank you for sharing this great info!
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