I learned something new today, that there is something called the breast-crawl. It happens naturally in the animal world. Mammals in the wild, unlike humans, have unassisted births. So after the baby is born, it not only has to find its feet and stand up, it also has to find its way to the mother's nipple, all by itself. Else, it would just starve and die then and there. So, nature has hardwired into all mammal babies the know-how to crawl towards its food supply.
So this is how it happens in the human world. After the baby is born, the placenta severed and the baby cleaned of all adhering fluids, it is placed face down on the mother's tummy. And left there with a little support on its back by the mother to ensure that it does not fall off. The baby at this point is quiet and fully alert. The best state of mind for learning. It is fast and furiously picking up cues from the environment and before long it starts moving. It blinks, moves its head and hands and even starts kicking. This gentle kicking motion on the mother's tummy stimulates the uterus to contract and dispel the placenta. Once it has got the hang of the kicking motion, it starts to crawl upwards. It is said that the nipples emanate a scent that is close to that of the amniotic fluid, so that must be a strong attraction for the baby and maybe it crawls towards this smell. This smell perhaps also sets off some trigger in the baby's body because it starts to salivate. Slowly, inch by inch, it crawls on its mother's body until its mouth finds the nipple. Somehow it knows that the food supply has been reached because it then starts suckling.
Amazing, isn't it, how nature has provided the baby with all the information to
do this, like some pre-loaded software. :) This little crawl that the
little one does also creates a bond between mother and baby, supports
and comforts the newborn one and familiarises it with the mother's (and
if present, the father's) voice. Sadly, medicated births where the
mother has taken or has been injected with painkillers dulls the baby's
senses and it fails to do the crawl and has to be directly led to the
breast.
Babies are not always ready for feeding as soon as they are born. Sometimes, when it is taken directly to the nipple, if it is not ready, it does not feed. Then the latching-on at a later stage becomes difficult. On the other hand, if the baby is left to crawl, by the time it crawls and reaches the nipple, it is ready for feeding. This whole process is deeply instinctive. Unfortunately, modern practices are so invasive and anti-instinct, that this beautiful mechanism that has been provided by nature is largely overlooked.
So that was it, our first little sprint to the goal-post - in the shape of a sweet-smelling nipple, crawled over the softest, smoothest turf in the world, supported by loving hands, all done on our own, on infant hands and legs. And didn't we deserve the prize :)))
Watch the amazing event here
And do share this, so that more babies can crawl and bond and be healthy.
