I've been asked by several people lately what Ecological Breast Feeding is. I use this term because I don't just exclusively breastfeed, I ecologically breast feed my children (also known as natural mothering.) Since I've been asked this so much - I thought I would post what it is! =)
"Full ecological breast feeding excludes bottles, mother substitutes, pacifiers, strict schedules, and abrupt weaning. The keys to ecological breast feeding are mother-baby togetherness and frequent suckling. " Taken from The Art of natural Family Planning, by Sheila Kippley & John Kippley.
We truly do all these things, not just to prevent early fertility return (lol - we're in that 2% of early return) but for our children. =) We co-sleep, breast feed, baby-wear, take our babies with us, no pacifiers, bottles, breast feed on demand, suckling for comfort (lets just say I'm a human pacifier - haha), and I love doing all of this. It may not work for everyone, but it works for us! =)
I also found this bit of information very interesting. This is not meant to tell anyone not to breastfeed or that pumping isn't okay if that's what your need to do. I just put this out there because I thought it was interesting.
"When you express your milk for later bottlefeeding, it's not the same as breastfeeding. Proteins, enzymes, hormones, and live cells may be destroyed during handling, freezing or heating. The timing between foremilk and hindmilk is lost. Also lost are the daily changes in composition in response to the baby's changing needs and the external secretions of the areolar Montgomery glands . Therefore, bottlefeeding breastmilk is not the emotional or nutritional equivalent of breastfeeding." - Joy Kondash, M.D.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
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4 comments:
Amen! A-MEN!!! lol
So often a friend of mine will say "how could I have gotten pregnant?! I was BREASTFEEDING!" Well, she wasn't practicing ecological breastfeeding. She thought not offering formula was all it took. I had mentioned that the constant pacifier use and pumping would interfere with fertility. Many moms do not like all that is required of ecological bfing. I know it IS strenuous. (worth it, though!) With Aidan I was definitely the human pacifier. Some days I felt a shirt was better left off. lol Brennan is much easier, though. I am his pacifier, too, but he is less demanding.
I know it feels like forever while it's happening, but truly, one year is such a short sacrifice for all the benefits they obtain from it!
Thank you for posting this. we need to meet up! ;)
Okay, is there anything we DON'T have in common?! I do everything that you mentioned you do--You probably already know that though. :o) Great post!
I do this too - I was lucky to achieve LAM (Lactational Ammenorreah for those who haven't heard the term) for over 22 months. 22 months of no period - awesome.
I really did find it easier to simply trust that my baby knew his needs instinctively - he is not effected by years of cultural conditioning, so I followed his cues - and it worked great. He's been to the doctor once in his entire life. (He is two and a half and continues to breastfeed, as is normal anyway!)
http://www.tribalbaby.org/Breastfeeding.html
is where I've talked about what I have learnt from my baby by ecological breastfeeding - it turns out quite a lot!
Charndra
Great post! I nursed all of my five babies into toddlerhood and firmly believe what you are saying here. We live in such a fast paced society - even breastfeeding Moms feel pressured to rush through it all - it's a shame. We need more Moms like you to talk about it! :)
God bless,
Donna
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