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Home › Articles › Overcoming Difficulties › Back to Basics

Back to Basics

Regressive Therapy Could Give You and Baby a Fresh Start

By Teri Brown

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Regressive therapy involves taking your infant into the bath with you and allowing the child to follow his or her instincts in finding the breast and latching on.

Tow says that the best time to try this technique is during the first six weeks postpartum while the stepping reflex is still intact. Sometimes it is difficult to believe that such a simple technique can have such a huge effect.

"Many times, it takes a lot of encouragement before moms are willing to try such a low-tech approach to solving a problem that may seem so difficult," Tow says. "But, it helps to remember that babies are low-tech people, and they respond very well to approaches that respect this fact."

Marie Davis, a registered nurse and IBCLC, doesn't think there is anything mystical or magical in the rebirthing technique, but rather it is a way for the mother and infant to relax with one another.

"The idea is that the warm water and the free floatation will relax the baby," Davis says. "If the baby is relaxed, then the mother is relaxed, and the process of getting the baby to breast is easier."

Davis gives the following tips for creating your own birth scenario, though it is much more likely to be successful if you are under the guidance of a skilled lactation consultant who has experience with this technique. Davis also stresses the importance of having another responsible adult present whose job is to watch for the safety of the infant.

Setting the Scene
Fill a large tub with warm water. Make sure the water isn't hot or cold, but close to body temperature. The room should be free of drafts. Using candles or a soft night light will make the room dimmer and more comfortable for the baby.

Remember that this is a totally non-invasive way to help Mother and Baby relax with one another and reconnect as they should have immediatel following birth. There should never be any pressure for the mother or the baby to initiate a successful latch-on. The technique can always be tried at another time.

  • Have the mother undress and enter the tub.
  • The support person then places the naked baby in the water.
  • The baby should be well supported and gently submerged up to his shoulders. Allow the infant to gently float in the water for about a minute.
  • Place Baby nude on the mother's belly. The mother's arms should be a warm fence on either side of the baby to prevent the baby from falling in the water.
  • Bring water from the tub onto baby's back every few minutes to keep him warm.
  • Let the baby crawl his way up to Mother's breast. This may take several starts and stops.
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