Ecological Breastfeeding as a form of NFP

[gron0083]

Can anyone here share their experience with this? I know there are 7 tenets and the major one I’m in violation of currently is pacifier use (baby way too colic-y when born to go without it!). Also, it would seem to me through some things I’ve been reading on La Leche League that it simply wouldn’t be an option for some people (ex, I overproduced in the beginning and baby had a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance so using me as a pacifier would’ve aggravated the problem).
Has anyone tried this and how did it work for you?

 

[basilisk]

Well, using ecological breastfeeding combined with the military sending my DH away a couple of times, we had five children in ten and a half years. The average space is about 2 1/2 years, but we have one space that is only 16 months. Our last one came along more than three years after her brother, but there was some active avoiding and a miscarriage in there… so, that one doesn’t really count for your question.

If all you want to do is SPACE OUT your kids, eco breastfeeding is a great way to go. If you actually want to prevent pregnancy in a more reliable way, you are going to have to be more systematic.

HTH.

 

[gron0083]

If all you want to do is SPACE OUT your kids, eco breastfeeding is a great way to go. If you actually want to prevent pregnancy in a more reliable way, you are going to have to be more systematic.

HTH.

Just to add some info to my OP, I’m actually simply curious about it. It would be nice to have the kids spaced out (easier on me) but I think I’ve already not abided by the “tenets” so don’t know how well it would work for me personally. I’m kind of just wondering how many others out there have tried it and if they’ve seen success or if most people have gone the “systematic” route

 

[mizznicole]

I’d describe our relationship as “Eco.” We co-sleep, don’t use any pumping or bottles, and spent a lot of time nursing as newborn.

But for the next baby I’m not going to use breastfeeding for exclusively soothing to sleep. My baby is an all-night feeder and it’s a real source of frustration for me. I think it’s from giving him the breast every time he woke up from a young age.

Other than that, I love not having to break him from a pacifier or even a finger. He doesn’t have any comfort “things”, just mommy.

If your baby is still young, you can probably ease away the paci if you want to.

Unfortunately for me, all that time at the breast did almost nothing for keeping away my cycles. It returned at 7 months PP.

 

[EvelynEVF]

If you are overproducing, the simplest cure is to not switch sides so often. It’s called block nursing–you use the same breast for four, six, or more hours, and then switch. I know of one woman who had so much milk that she had a “day” breast and a “night” breast!

A couple days of block nursing should settle your supply right down. If it doesn’t reduce it enough, lengthen the block of time. If you get too full on the unused side, you can express enough to be comfortable, but don’t empty the breast, as that would defeat the point.

Once things settle down, you’ll get a feel for when you can/should switch, without having to look at the clock.

In this way, you can go ahead and soothe at the breast, and baby won’t get drowned.

 

[hasikelee]

I thought we would be eco, but:

1. DD sleeps through the night. At first it was 4hr chunks, now she will seep 7,8, even 9 hrs through the night.
2. We introduced a pacifier b/c she gets really fussy in the evening and will overeat. She hasn’t taken to it much at all, but every few days she uses it.

 

[Truly_Beloved]

We are an ecological breastfeeding family.

Also, it would seem to me through some things I’ve been reading on La Leche League that it simply wouldn’t be an option for some people (ex, I overproduced in the beginning and baby had a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance so using me as a pacifier would’ve aggravated the problem).

I overproduced like crazy in the beginning, too, and my first baby was (and still is) a total nursing addict. I survived several plugged ducts and two bouts of mastitis. I’m a complete nut, though, because I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Has anyone tried this and how did it work for you?

My fertility returned at 15 months postpartum, and we conceived our second baby right away, so our children are spaced 8 days shy of 2 years.

I nursed throughout the pregnancy, and am currently nursing both children. I don’t think my fertility will return sooner than it did the first time, since I’m nursing both little ones. Of course, if I’m wrong, I’ll be happy to post as soon as I’m blessed again with another baby.

 

[CatholicSam]

We sort-of used eco BF with both children so far. I hardly ever sleep with baby for the daily nap, and we only cosleep for a couple of hours per night. Fertility returned around 15-16 months the first time and we conceived right away. After baby was born, I nursed both children, and fertility returned at 22-23 months. We conceived right away again. The age gap between our first two children is 25 months, and it looks like the gap between our second and third (I’m still pregnant) will be just over 2.5 years.

 

[Em_in_FL]

I personally find using the sympto-thermal method easier than sticking to the tenets of Eco-BF’ing.
(I have that aforementioned overproduction issue and pacifiers are a lifesaver! - besides I work and have to pump)…

Besides, the effectivity of Eco-BF’ing (if you stick to the tenets) is only higher than the sympto-thermal method for the first 6 months… after that the sympto-thermal method is more effective anyway.

So IMO it’s not worth the effort of sticking to the tenets if the benefit is just guaranteed for 6 months.

 

[foodforthought1]

Hi… Just naturally practice it, and only have 2 kids right now. They are 28 months apart, just naturally happened, and it is great. My LO is 8 months old now, and no period yet.