Ecological breastfeeding with number 2?

Hipshaker · July 2015

I used ebf with my first. It worked perfectly for us. Are there any other moms who plan to do this? Also it would be great to get some suggestions on how to make this work with my almost four year and maintain harmony?

monaclemere · July 2015

What is ecological breastfeeding?? I'm so confused...

steph_pegasus · July 2015

The only time I've ever heard of EBF it meant exclusively breastfeeding.

DylansCandyBar · July 2015

I mean you really can't get more ecological than breastfeeding. But....???

@Hipshaker Please to explain.

RunnerMeg · July 2015

What is ecological breastfeeding? I also only know EBF to mean exclusively breastfeeding.

peppercorn16 · July 2015

Google has answered: https://www.lalecheleague.org/nb/nbsepoct08p4.html

ChipMonster · July 2015

Ok, read most of that article and I definitely breastfed DS ecologically (did I use the term right?) I nursed him when he cried, even when he wasn't necessarily hungry. He never had a pacifier (I tried after 1 month and he wouldn't take it!)

With that being said, I spotted a little 6 weeks pp and had a full on... And very full on period at 10 weeks pp. (No one talks about the heaviness of your first period pp!!!!)

You cannot use breastfeeding as a secure method of birth control.

steph_pegasus · July 2015

@ChipMonster same here with us, EBF on demand but my first period wasn't until DD was 6 months. Not that we were using that for BC. I agree there, if you don't want to get pregnant again there are many more reliable methods.
Eta words.

Snoopylovesbelle · July 2015

I can't imagine nursing that often it would make me nuts
For sure if you don't want to get pregnant don't rely on breast feeding

RunnerMeg · July 2015

I nursed on demand with DS (he never took a pacifier either, despite several attempts lol) and plan to do the same with this baby. Though I may night wean this baby a little earlier than DS...depends what kind of sleeper he is hehe.

With DS I didn't get my period back until he was 20 months old. It was wonderful, but no way would I rely on just BFing as an adequAte form of contraception.

joshandamandamay2011 · July 2015

I pretty much was ecological with DS, although he did take a paci, but it wasn't often or for every long.

Although, one thing that (I more skimmed the article then anything) I don't notice in the article, my local lactation consult says if you go longer then 8hrs during any period of the day, you can ovulate. So, if your baby starts sleeping through the night, and it's at least 8 hrs, breastfeeding is no longer a form of birth control. She also pushed that you don't rely on breastfeeding, just in case.

mollyj931 · July 2015

Even if I was BFing every hour for a year I dont think I would rely on it for birth control. Maybe if I was charting too and we ok with them close in age

thereisalight · July 2015

Yup, definitely nursed on demand and for comfort... DS never used a pacifier. It was pretty taxing though, he was a terrible sleeper which meant nursing every 45 mins at night for the first few months. We actually just stopped, at 2 years, thank god. Not sure I will change anything this time, just hoping for a better sleeper and an earlier end to it.

thereisalight · July 2015

Also, didn't rely on it for BC. I just don't trust that.

Hipshaker · July 2015

Thanks for all your responses! I should have linked in the LLL link though. I followed every one of the 7 guide lines to the letter. I wore her too. Didn't even bother with strollers, schedules,bottles, pacies, or cribs. But as soon as she started sleeping through that 3am feed and eating soilds. AF came to visit at 11m. But it was wonky after that growth spurts and sleep regression influenced that. Normal didn't happen til 2 and a half and she completely weaned at 3.5 when I became pregnant. It was hoping to make it to the two year mark with out a visit from
AF like my aunt. Oh well. It worked well for us as bc. I charted too. I guess I'll just have this one wrapped 24/7. My lo hasn't napped since she was 18m. I remember those first few months of nursing every 1hr and half for 40 min. I got to sleep when she slept at least. Everything was so natural and nice we were in sync. I'm scared this time around I'm gonna be a train wreck vs the earthmama I was last time. Just looking for strategies to to stay positive

Thank you!

mg137 · July 2015

Guys. I was nursing twins, had unprotected sex once, and HELLO JANUARY 2016 COMMUNITY!!!

Granted my twins were a year old and eating solids too, but still.

mg137 · July 2015

(We were not using breastfeeding as birth control.)

Hipshaker · July 2015

Ebf just happens to fit my attachment parenting style perfectly; the bc aspect was a plus

Hipshaker · July 2015

I just don't want to shortchange either of them

steph_pegasus · July 2015

Hipshaker said:
I just don't want to shortchange either of them

Don't understand this comment, in what way are your worried about "shortchanging" either of your children?

thereisalight · July 2015

@hipshaker I understand being concerned about things going as smoothly this time around. I remember sweet blissful moments lying in bed with my tiny baby asleep on me after nursing. Thinking about that now, with a 2 yo, seems like a joke. Less quiet bliss, more insanity. That's the beauty of second kids though, they adapt!!! I certainly wouldn't worry about short changing them, you'll be fine!

Knottie78468180 · July 2015

Yes I'm hoping to! But I will be charting as well to know when fertility returns. My mom said hers came back within a few months even when she was doing ebf.

willashbaby · July 2015

My close friend was EBF constantly and was pregnant 8 weeks after birth even with pulling out. You never know! Even charting you don't know you ovulated until AFTER. Oops.

mollyj931 · July 2015

Hipshaker said:
Ebf just happens to fit my attachment parenting style perfectly; the bc aspect was a plus

Hipshaker said:
I just don't want to shortchange either of them

If it fits with your lifestyle, great!! Go for it! A second child is usually a different ball game but if it still works for you and your family, awesome!

For many families though they need to use bottles, cribs, and schedules. They aren't short changing their children, they are doing what works best for their family.

For us a combination of BFing, carriers, strollers, sleep schedules and doing what we could to survive 2 kids worked.

Hipshaker · July 2015

It's nice to have a place to share. Thanks ladies. I felt a lot more positive today. My first lo is getting so big now I was watching her with her new puppy seeing how she is developing a such strong sense of empathy;I don't give her enough credit sometimes.

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