Many new moms are encouraged to attempt to breastfeed their newborn baby soon after birth, and struggle as they attempt to force the baby to feed. However, one mom decided to try a different approach, and luckily her birth photographer caught it all on camera.
Rather than force baby Harper to feed, first-time mom Jessica did some research and decided to try and let her newborn attempt a ‘breast crawl’ where the newborn literally crawls unassisted to mom’s breast to feed.
“Human babies, like other baby mammals, instinctively know how to find their mother’s breast,” breastcrawl.org explains. “The Breast Crawl is associated with a variety of sensory, central, motor and neuro-endocrine components, all directly or indirectly helping the baby to move and facilitate her survival in the new world. Smell, vision, and taste all help the newborn to detect and find the breast. Auditory inputs and touch make her comfortable and help to create a suitable environment.”
“I always meet with my clients beforehand to discuss any special moments they want me to be sure and not miss, and for Jessica and Don, that was the breast crawl,” birth photographer Leilani Rogers said.
Baby Harper was born at 5:50 in the morning and was immediately placed on mom’s stomach to let her attempt the breast crawl. “It’s a process that takes a lot of patience,” said Rogers, who had only seen unsuccessful attempts.
Jessica managed to suppress her urges to help guide baby Harper, and patiently waited. About 44 minutes later, Harper managed to crawl all the way up on her own, even lifting her head slightly on her own on the way, and began breastfeeding.
“By the time baby Harper was exactly where she needed to be,” Rogers said. “She was highly motivated, and her latch was near perfect, with little to no coaching.”
Take a look at all of the incredible photos of this rare moment here.
Can you believe the rare moment this birth photographer managed to capture? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this with moms on Facebook.
[Featured image: Leilani Rogers]
Birth Photographer Captures Moment Infant Crawls To Mom’s Breast is an article from: LifeDaily