Rebirthing for Breastfeeding Success
A Gentle Reset for Mom and Baby
Recently, I have worked with several new moms who did not have the breastfeeding experience they wanted. I wanted to share their experiences to help others.
The stories shared here are based on real experiences with identifying details changed to protect privacy. They are only intended for educational and emotional support purposes and do not replace personalized medical or lactation care. Every mother-baby dyad is unique, and outcomes with rebirthing or any lactation support method may vary. Please consult a qualified lactation consultant for guidance specific to your needs.
When Breastfeeding Doesn't Go as Planned: How Rebirthing Helped These Mothers Heal
Not every breastfeeding journey begins with blissful skin-to-skin and a perfect latch. Sometimes it starts with wires, worry, and longing. Sometimes, it starts with pain, disappointment, and guilt. But healing can begin in the stillness of rebirthing—a quiet, intentional moment to reconnect.
Here are the stories of three mothers who found a new beginning through rebirthing, after breastfeeding didn't start the way they had hoped. These stories are just a few examples of how rebirthing can help mothers and babies heal and connect, and there are many more unique experiences out there.
Emma's Story: "I felt like my body had failed him."
Emma had an emergency cesarean after a long and difficult labor. Her baby, Jonah, was taken to the NICU for breathing support. For two days, she wasn't able to hold him, much less breastfeed. By the time he came to her, he was fussy and disinterested in latching. Emma pumped around the clock, trying to hold on to her milk supply while grieving the bonding she had missed.
"I was full of milk and full of tears," she said. "I just wanted to feed my baby. I felt like my body had failed him."
When Emma's lactation consultant introduced the idea of rebirthing, she was skeptical. "I thought it sounded silly at first—pretending we were going back in time. But I was desperate to feel close to him."
She tried it during a quiet afternoon—just her and Jonah, skin-to-skin in a warm bath. She spoke softly to him, apologized for the rough start, and told him they were safe now. Jonah rested on her chest, calm and alert, and after a while, he began to root.
"He found the breast all on his own. And I cried. It felt like we'd finally met."
Rosa's Story: "I needed to reconnect—with her and myself."
Rosa gave birth to her daughter, Luna, via a planned induction that turned overwhelming. She'd planned to breastfeed, but Luna screamed at the breast, pushed away, and preferred the bottle from day one. Rosa kept trying, but each feeding left them both in tears.
"I started to believe I wasn't the kind of mom who could breastfeed," she said. "I felt ashamed, and I hated that feeding her had become something I dreaded."
Rosa reached out for guidance after learning about re-birthing in a support group. With encouragement, she created a calm space, dimmed the lights, and simply held Luna skin-to-skin. No pressure, no agenda.
"She was eight weeks old. I thought it was too late," Rosa shared. "But something shifted in that moment. I stopped seeing her as 'difficult.' I saw her as a baby who had been through a lot, just like me."
They tried re-birthing several times over the following weeks. One morning, while resting on Rosa's chest, Luna latched. Rosa barely breathed.
"It wasn't perfect or long. But it was ours. And I finally felt like I could exhale."
Tasha's Story: "I had to let go of the guilt."
Tasha had struggled with postpartum anxiety after her twins were born. She felt paralyzed every time she tried to breastfeed, and the babies didn't latch well. She switched to bottles, but inside, she was heartbroken.
"I couldn't stop replaying the 'what ifs,'" she said. "I felt like I'd missed a chance and could never get back."
When a friend mentioned rebirthing, Tasha thought, "Why not?" She didn't expect miracles—she just wanted to feel connected again. She began holding her babies skin-to-skin, one at a time, in a calm room with soft music. There were no bottles, no stress, just presence.
"I whispered to them. I told them I loved them. I cried a lot," she said. "They didn't latch, but they cuddled, cooed, and melted into me. And for the first time, I felt like their mother—not a failure."
Tasha's rebirthing moments didn't "fix" breastfeeding—but they brought peace, bonding, and emotional closure. "It was the beginning of forgiving myself and celebrating what I was giving them—love, safety, and comfort."
Rebirthing Isn't a Fix. It's a Healing Space.
Whether you're working to re-establish breastfeeding or simply longing for deeper connection, rebirthing creates a safe, sacred pause. A moment where you and your baby can slow down, breathe together, and rediscover one another without pressure or performance.
For Emma, Rosa, and Tasha, rebirthing didn't erase the challenges but transformed their Stories. It gave them hope, healing, and the chance to write a new chapter.
If you're grieving over how things began in the first few months of your baby's life, you're not alone—and it's never too late for reconnection.
Remember, you're not alone in this journey. I'm here to walk with you, offering support and guidance every step of the way.
When breastfeeding isn't going the way we hoped, opening ourselves to a new way of thinking can be helpful. Maybe birth was fast and overwhelming, or long and exhausting. Maybe Baby was whisked away for medical care or latched poorly from the start. Maybe breastfeeding had complications, such as mastitis or breast yeast infection. These early interruptions can leave both baby and mother feeling disconnected, stressed, and unsure. That's where rebirthing can be a healing tool.
What Is Rebirthing?
Rebirthing is a gentle, intentional bonding experience that mimics aspects of the birth process and early skin-to-skin contact. It's not about reliving trauma—it's about creating a calm, connected space where your baby can "start fresh" at the breast. Think of it as a do-over for those precious first moments of life, designed to reawaken your baby's innate breastfeeding instincts and rebuild trust, connection, and calm between you both.
How Can Rebirthing Help Breastfeeding?
Babies are born with primitive reflexes that guide them to the breast—rooting, crawling, latching. Breastfeeding can feel like an uphill battle when these instincts are interrupted or never had the chance to unfold fully. Rebirthing provides:
A neurological reset for babies who seem disorganized, fussy, or resist the breast
A regulation tool for stressed or overwhelmed parents and infants
A way to repair bonding after a difficult birth, NICU stay, or early separation
Support for relactation or supplementing mothers trying to re-establish or improve breastfeeding
How to Do Rebirthing
Rebirthing is intentional but straightforward. Here's how you can try it at home:
Set the scene.
a. Choose a quiet, warm, dimly lit space where you won't be disturbed. Turn off phones, noise, and distractions. Soft, calming music is fine.
b. Think "womb-like" calm.
Undress to bare skin.
a. You and your baby should be skin-to-skin. This helps awaken your baby's natural reflexes and signals comfort and safety.
Take a warm bath together (optional).
a. Many parents find a shared bath adds a layer of comfort and sensory familiarity, mimicking the womb.
b. Hold your baby securely, skin-to-skin, heart-to-heart.
Lay back, reclined, and supported.
a. Let baby rest on your chest, upright and belly-down. No pressure to latch. Just breathe together, relax, and let Baby explore.
Let your baby lead.
a. If it is ready, the baby may begin to root, bob, and self-latch.
b. This process can take time, so be patient. There are no expectations—just presence.
Offer gentle guidance if needed.
a. If the Baby struggles to latch, gently support them but try not to force them.
b. Reach out to a lactation consultant (like me!) for tips tailored to your baby's cues and needs.
7. Repeat as needed.
Rebirthing isn't a one-time fix—it's a healing practice. Regularly practicing it can deepen connection, improve feeding outcomes, and ease tension between parents and children.
Rebirthing is one of many holistic tools I use to help families rebuild confidence, connection, and nourishment. If you feel like your breastfeeding relationship needs a reset—or simply a moment of reconnection—this beautiful, heart-centered practice can help bring you back together, body and soul.
You and your baby deserve a soft place to land. Rebirthing can be that place.