Allowing our child to lead us, and teach us when they are ready to undertake a developmental task, can ease the pressure and stress for both Parents and baby. Some exampes might be - baby-led weaning, baby led-attachment, toddler led toilet training…

“Baby-led attachment is the term given to the process where your baby follows a pattern of instinctive behaviours to get to the breast. This can be for the first breastfeed or at any time when the attachment is not correct and your nipples are damaged.”

For the first breastfeed, this involves the baby instinctively “crawling” up the mother’s abdomen, to the breast, where the rooting reflex allows her to locate, and attach to the nipple.  A step by step, diagrammed guide to Baby Led attachment is available here.

“If the baby is placed on the abdomen or with the head on the lower portion of the sternum, the baby will rest for a period of about 30 minutes and will tend to look up at its mother on and off. In this period, the baby is in what is called the quiet-alert state. In this state, the baby is unusually exciting. It’s very interested in faces. It will look directly at the father’s and mother’s eyes. It’s important that the mother and the obstetrical group, midwives, nurse and obstetrician not disturb the baby, not bathe the baby or give Vitamin K or eye ointment, but delay these for an hour until the time for the mother and baby is over with. The baby will have a whole set of behaviors that are very exciting and very valuable for the mother and father to view and to understand. At the end of about 30 minutes, the baby begins lip-smacking movements. After a short period of time, the baby begins to move forward, mainly by pushing with its back legs. As it starts towards the mother’s chest, the baby will often move its head from side to side, sometimes extending its chin all the way to the shoulder. As the baby moves forward, if the right breast is washed, the baby will go to the left breast. If the left breast is washed, the baby will go to the right breast. If both breasts are washed and amniotic fluid is placed on the right breast, the baby will go to where the mother’s amniotic fluid is placed.”

Baby Led attachment, is an awe inspiring, and beautiful relic from nature that we’ve been left with, and can help facilitate a good breastfeeding relationship.

References:

Marshall Klaus MD, What do we know about birth, http://www.birthcenters.org/generations-library/what-do-we-know/klaus.php.

Australian Breastfeeding Association, Baby Led-attachment http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/bla.html