Re: Re Dr Kirsten and NFP

[Guest guest]

First I myself was unsuccessfully breast-fed, not owing to any lack of good will on my mother's part, but due to no good information and support that she could access at the time. This was after all in the 1960s when there was practically no help available for moms who wished to breast-feed, and doctors often actively discouraged the practice. And while I am close to my mother we both would never deny that we always lacked something in our bonding, and perhaps to realize that one has to have a parallel EBF-bonding situation close at hand in the family to compare to, such as I had with my younger siblings who were successfully breast-fed later on, with the help of the La Leche League.

But breast-feeding is according to the design of nature and so even while nature isn't invincible, failure isn't usually because the design is lacking, but rather usually some technical or practical aspect as with anything we try to do in the world after Adam and Eve's sin. But that shouldn't become a cop-out as it all too often does become!!!

As regards babies who sleep through the night and so cause mom's ovulation to come back too early -- e.g., at 6 months -- often the baby who learns to fall asleep on hi own in a separate room from the mom gets into this pattern. But is it really the best way? I think not. Perhaps here someone like Sheila Kippley or Pam Pilch can help me with the more technical aspects, but it is best to encourage the greatest proximity (nearness) of baby to mom throughout the first 2 years even or ideally. Just because the baby sleeps doesn't mean all of his needs are being met. Babies too can learn to cope with being somewhat ungratified chronically, but it's neither the best for mom nor baby. The baby who sleeps with mom through the night will often sleep very well too, but there will be short bursts of night-time feeding "almost done in her sleep" which will not only not unduly disturb mom's sleep, but actually deepen and improve that sleep due to the endorphin rush associated with a completely gratified let-down reflex -- a pleasurable, full emptying of the breast -- even if all-too-regrettably many american women never or too rarely have these God-given pleasurable experiences. Mother is designed for these feeds, therefore nature has not left her orphan in terms of not providing the needed compensation for her. One big problem however is that most docs never heard of what I just wrote.

The baby has the natural right to all the goods nature has provided in breast-feeding (!!), which of course go far, very far, beyond the merely nutritional aspects. Bonding and all the rest, not to mention the consolation, nurture, and education (as Father Virtue says breast-feeding is a "propaedeutic" for the reception of the Gospel, which Jesus Himself seems to imply; cf. Lk 11:27) which God has seen fit to provide as nature and Divine Revelation clearly teaches us, etc. ought to remain foremost in our minds. Who among us parents would say we merely have to feed but not educate our children. Then why ignore the educational aspects of this elite form of nurture. Otherwise we may have to hear one day the words that express the "inexpressible groanings" of the child left to fend for himself:

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me,

so far from my cries of anguish?

Sincerely yours,

Dominic M. Pedulla MD, FACC, CNFPMC, ABVM, ACPh

Interventional Cardiologist, Endovascular Diplomate, Varicose Vein Specialist, Noncontraceptive Family Planning Consultant, Family Planning Researcher

Medical Director, The Oklahoma Vein and Endovascular Center (www.noveinok.com, veininfo@...)

Executive Director, The Edith Stein Foundation (www.theedithsteinfoundation.com)

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(FAX)

pedullad@...

“Our fundamental purpose is not to go out and help the poor. For us, this has only been a means. Our purpose is to maintain the Catholic faith within us, and to allow its diffusion to others through the instrument of charity.†Blessed Frederic Ozanam, a 19th century founder of the Society of Saint De

Re Dr Kirsten and NFP

Friends,

I apologize for confusing Kirsten for a medical student. She is already one of our colleagues.

On another note I copy with a friend's permission a note which reminds us that breast feeding some times is not as one wishes. This too needs to be said without denying the beautiful points made in some of the posts:

Considering the idea of ecological breastfeeding, I had to smile because, although I knew nothing about it at the time, I would definitely be in the category of those for whom it didn't "work." A. was conceived when D. was just six months old. I had only breastfed, did not use pacifiers, etc. But the difference is that Dominic, completely on his own, began sleeping through the night at 3 months old. (And I mean REALLY sleeping through the night -- as in 12 hours straight!) Can you imagine tellin

g a mother who is so grateful to get some sleep that she should wake her child up in order to nurse so as to maintain infertility? I think the lack of sleep in itself is a natural family spacer, as it's hard to feel too romantic when you're exhausted! But I have to say that even with all my other kids, even those who were not such champion sleepers, I always got my period at six months -- even though I exclusively breastfed during that time.

Finally, I would add that although breastfeeding is surely the ideal, it is difficult to argue that a child has a natural right to be breastfed, as opposed to being fed. It seems to me that the choice to breastfeed would be more along what St. calls the higher order of virtue -- perhaps a preferable course to take, but not obligatory according to natural law. As far as bonding goes, on a personal note, I was not breastfed, but cannot imagine being any closer to my Mom, either as a child or an adult.

Fr.