EC and Breastfeeding

[GoldmanBaby09]

So, I am just curious if EC has had an affect on your breastfeeding relationship. I started to notice pretty early on that my son would need to go after he had gotten a bit of milk in his belly and was comfortable. Even now, I still have to often stop in the middle of a nursing to potty him. But once he has gone and is more relaxed, he will gladly take the boob again.

I sometimes wonder when I hear other breastfeeding hurdles if maybe some of these issues are not missed elimination cues. Like popping on and off or nipping when a baby has otherwise been nursing contently. I wonder if we aren't too quick to look for some problem with the breast or the feeding when really it is just that your baby has another need that has to be met first before nursing can be comfortable for all involved.

I've kind of thought about EC as being similar to Bfing in reverse. The same way my nonverbal baby signals he needs milk, he also lets me know when it needs to come out the other end, and I try to meet both needs as best I can, even when they intersect. Has anyone else found that EC has added another layer to your breastfeeding relationship?

[hrsmom]

Definitely! Even though I was doing EC, I didn't figure out that the popping off and on meant she had to go for quite some time. Now I know!! I was glad to figure it out, too, because I was wondering what the heck she was doing!!!

I remember reading somewhere that someone was linking breastfeeding and EC. (I think it was the Ingrid Bauer book, but I don't remember for sure.) The comment was that these days people tend to purposely wean from mama's milk very early (commonly before a year) and tend to wait until the child is older before using a potty. When it really should be the reverse, potty early, wean later! If that made sense!

[tutucrazy]

My son would pop on an off the boob when he really needed to pee. Also for my son it was always better for him to nurse for a few minutes BEFORE his BM. The nursing always got his system working and he would start farting, then I knew he needed to poop.

[sapphire_chan]

Popping on and off is why ECing at night was easier than daytime ECing.

[GoldmanBaby09]

Originally Posted by tutucrazy

Also for my son it was always better for him to nurse for a few minutes BEFORE his BM. The nursing always got his system working and he would start farting, then I knew he needed to poop.

This makes me think about Ina May's talk of sphincters in her Guide to Childbirth. Just as laboring women dilate most effectively when they are comfortable and relaxed, it makes sense that babies would have the same basic needs for elimination. And I know of no better way to get a baby relaxed and comfortable than to nurse!

[hrsmom]

Originally Posted by GoldmanBaby09

This makes me think about Ina May's talk of sphincters in her Guide to Childbirth. Just as laboring women dilate most effectively when they are comfortable and relaxed, it makes sense that babies would have the same basic needs for elimination. And I know of no better way to get a baby relaxed and comfortable than to nurse!

I've been wondering if EC'ed girls have an easier time in childbirth down the road.....

[hrsmom]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

Popping on and off is why ECing at night was easier than daytime ECing.

Same here!

And I just saw your "no more poopy diapers"

[GoldmanBaby09]

Originally Posted by hrsmom

I've been wondering if EC'ed girls have an easier time in childbirth down the road.....

I don't know that the act of being ECed by itself would lead to an easier birth later. But, I do think that growing up with a healthy understanding of how your bodily functions work, and a respect for that, could have a huge impact on future birthing. Especially as Americans, we have a huge disconnect between so many natural things-childbirth, breastfeeding and EC being big ones.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by hrsmom

Same here!

And I just saw your "no more poopy diapers"

Yeah, I figured it was safe to post after she'd been asking for the potty for poops for a month and a half. Including through this bout of sniffles-induced diarrhea.

[CalBearMama]

Originally Posted by GoldmanBaby09

I sometimes wonder when I hear other breastfeeding hurdles if maybe some of these issues are not missed elimination cues. Like popping on and off or nipping when a baby has otherwise been nursing contently. I wonder if we aren't too quick to look for some problem with the breast or the feeding when really it is just that your baby has another need that has to be met first before nursing can be comfortable for all involved.

I go to La Leche League meetings whenever I have time, not because I need breastfeeding support myself, but because I hear this so often at the meetings. Our culture is so quick to assume that breastfeeding isn't working and the mom isn't making enough milk. At practically every meeting, I hear at least one mom questioning whether she has enough milk, because her baby gets fussy at the breast. I always pipe up about EC and encourage people to assume that they have enough milk, and that the baby is trying to communicate some other need by popping on and off or fussing at the breast. So sad that so many breastfeeding relationships seem to be sabotaged by our culture's general failure to recognize babies' elimination cues.

[GoldmanBaby09]

Originally Posted by CalBearMama

I go to La Leche League meetings whenever I have time, not because I need breastfeeding support myself, but because I hear this so often at the meetings. Our culture is so quick to assume that breastfeeding isn't working and the mom isn't making enough milk. At practically every meeting, I hear at least one mom questioning whether she has enough milk, because her baby gets fussy at the breast. I always pipe up about EC and encourage people to assume that they have enough milk, and that the baby is trying to communicate some other need by popping on and off or fussing at the breast. So sad that so many breastfeeding relationships seem to be sabotaged by our culture's general failure to recognize babies' elimination cues.

Yes, my experiences at LLL meetings started my wheels turning about this too. I also make sure to mention EC when I hear those types of issues. And they seem all too common. I didn't start ECing until my son was about three months, and I felt very secure in our nursing relationship. I have more of an over supply, so I knew it wasn't lack of milk that was making my baby fuss at the breast. But I could easily see how that could turn into a downward spiral if you couldn't figure out why your baby was acting that way. Unfortunately, there is little education out there about how lactation actually works and how EC may relate. I think they are much closer issues than they are given credit for.