Importance of Breast Crawl and its Benefits to Mother and Baby

Abstract

The most sensitive period of mother–infant bonding is the first 24 hours after delivery. As it is defined as progressively wherein a human who has a built- in ability for a specific time is often regard a vulnerable period and atypical conditions during this period can alter the specific behaviour irreparably. The sensitive period is usually governed by chemical and neural paths that Control the behaviour. Usually newly born infants have a catecholamine surge immediately after birth due to hypoxic and mechanical stress during the birth process.After the labour pain, mother usually have episiotomy pain. And this leads to feel mother as unbreakable pain. The management for pain pharmacologically during episiotomy suturing is the administration of 10 ml of 2% lignocaine before the suturing. Many non-pharmacological managements can be used. So, Breast Crawl is one of the techniques to divert the mother from pain during episiotomy suturing. So, breast crawl procedure which benefits the mother; it is the technique of breast massage by the baby and due to subsequent suckling may induce a large oxytocin surge from the mother's pituitary gland into her bloodstream. This may lead to close emotional interaction coupled with cutaneous, visual and auditory stimuli from the baby during the Breast Crawl which induce the release of oxytocin. This oxytocin helps to contract the uterus, expelling the placenta and it closes the blood vessels in the uterus, thus reducing loss of blood and finally it prevents anaemia. Due to the pressure of infant’s feet on the mother’s abdomen may also help in expelling the placenta early.