Bringing up baby the bio-dynamic way

I watched the beginning of this programme in the hope that unlike the ones gone before the issues of natural parenting would not be sensationalised. So far I can’t say that I’m overjoyed with Channel 4’s take however what struck me this morning when I was woken by our 9 year old crawling into our bed was how us natural parents are the guardians of what we know is instinctively right and at one with the universe.

In the past I have looked at children who have been brought up using a controlled method and thought – ‘they look the same as my daughter, don’t appear to have any weird social abnormalities, are healthy enough despite not being breastfed for 3 years and aren’t dropping down dead from adverse reactions to vaccinations– am I wrong to be harshly judging their parents for wanting to get their life back as soon as possible?’

Then this morning at 4 am with Jacob on one arm and Maya on the other, it dawned on me. We are like the biodynamic farmers who grow amazing fruits, vegetables and animals. On the face of it they may look the same but on an energetic, nutritional and holistic level there is absolutely no comparison. The traditions of biodynamic farming have been nurtured by those farmers who know the rightness of taking care of the earth to allow it to produce the crops and animals that nourish the body in a way that a factory farmed plant or animal just cannot do. As mothers who nurture our babies in the same way we don’t need to be validated or praised because we know when you parent with unconditional love, not needed or wanting anything back the rewards are immeasurable. In fact if you looked into the methods employed by biodynamic farmers – sowing by the moon cycle, harvesting at dawn etc you would wonder what kind of witchcraft they were using. However we are instinctively drawn to these products even if we don’t know this background. Our best selling nappy cream is made by Weleda, a company that uses bio dynamically grown calendula it its preparation. Is the fact that this product is purchased by 90% of our customers fluke or because there is something intangible in it? The same way that there is aliveness is the eyes of a bio dynamically raised child that you can’t quite put your finger on.

One thing that did strike me as interesting was the fact that the parents who like the Truby King/controlled crying/by the clock method appreciated being told what to do. This is something that us natural mums think is wrong – we assure a mother that she will know instinctively what to do. I actually don’t believe this is true. If you have never had the experience of being loved unconditionally how are you going to be able to impart that feeling to your baby? I know that I was unconditionally loved by my parent s – have absolutely no doubt about it, so I know what it feels like to give that to my children. A popular misconception is that unconditional love involves being a doormat and having no boundaries. That’s not true either, a biodynamic farmer will work in harmony with the weeds and ensure that there are birds and ladybirds around to kills off those pesky pests, they don’t let them run riot! Likewise we need to give new mothers direction and instil the ability to give and receive unconditional love. A baby will naturally give unconditional love but if it isn’t received will soon stop.

So this begs the question ‘what should we teach new mothers?’ So here is the advice I would give:

1. Question the need to have tests during pregnancy that do nothing but give you information on whether or not you should abort your baby. If you have already decided you would not have an abortion why have the test? This included blood tests and scans.
2. Employ an independent midwife or doula trained with either Birthlight, Pam Englands Birthing From Within or Amanda Rayment. Or follow Gowri Mothas ‘Gentle Birth Method’.
3. Do Tracy Holloway’s Hypno-babies training to instil in yourself the feelings of unconditional love for yourself and to be able to accept it from your baby. This and No. 2 will give you the best chances of having a natural birth at home. This is not the same as Hypno babies. Tracy’s method of hypnotherapy and Theta DNA subconscious reprogramming results in amazing natural births
4. Do an Active birth class. Dominque in Bristol is an amazing woman and her classes are worth every penny.
5. If giving birth in a hospital make sure it already is or is going through the process of getting Baby Friendly accreditation. Thankfully the UK is adopting the Unicef code that ensures that babies are immediately given to their mother for lots of skin to skin contact, are put on the breast and encouraged to be together 24/7. (Something the NHS is definitely getting right!)
6. Find out about La Leche League parenting. NCT is ok but more the equivalent of free range farming rather the organic or biodynamic. Feels better but doesn’t quite cut it!
7. Breastfeed, breastfeed and breastfeed some more. Enough said. There are free support lines should you need them. Ask BORN for more info.
8. Have a ‘baby moon’ keep people away fro a month and if they do want to come put them to work cleaning up, washing and cooking. If they want a drink tell them where the kitchen in. You sit or lie and keep hold of your baby! A great tip is to keep your dressing gown on – people will treat you differently and want to look after you. It is tradition in India for a new mother to be massaged daily and waited on for at least a month after birth
9. Meet up in reality or online with mums who are already doing it the natural way. Come to BORN and talk to us and we’ll hook you up with groups in the area. Soon we will have this facility online. The Natural Nurturing Network Is a great place to look but for starters go to a La Leche League meeting as these are all over the country. You can go before you have baby too. Surrounding yourself with a support group makes all the difference for those times when you feel like everyone else is sane and you are going mad for insisting that your little baby can’t have salt and vinegar crisps because of the MSG! We have a Bristol Attachment Parenting Yahoo Group that is open to anyone who want to meet up with ‘bio-dynamic’ mums
10. Use washable nappies. Disposables are the equivalent of building a house on a landfill sight and being amazed when you have a methane explosion. If we continue to pollute the planet with toxic rubbish how can we expect it to sustain future generations?
11. Sleep with your baby. La Leche League and the Natural Nurturing Network will give you good practical advice on doing this, as does the Unicef Baby friendly web site. 90% of the world’s mums sleep with their babies. Get a big bed – you spend two thirds of your life in it so enjoy it! You spend less time in your car yet spend more on that. If necessary get a spare bed for what would have been the nursery for your partner to sleep in so you and baby (and your partner) can all get a good nights sleep. It’s useful to use the spare room bed as a boudoir for those times when you want a bit of time away from your baby to practise making more babies! At one point we had a 5ft bed PLUS a 3ft futon next to us. It was luxury. Now we just have a 6ft bed and Maya stays in her double bed most nights. Jacob still sleeps with us. The plan is to have them sleep together until they don’t want to anymore. I slept with my big sister so know this works.
12. Get a good book like William Sears ‘The Baby Book’ to refer to. Despite being a man the book is genius, his wife Marta had a lot to do with it – they have 8 (yes 8!) bio-dynamically raised kids. The fact he’s a doctor gives some the reassurance you may need. Other great books are available from BORN, when sleeping becomes an issue get ‘The No Cry Sleep Solution’ by Elizabeth Pantly
13. Stay away from people who tell you you will be making a rod for your own back. Smile, say ‘thanks for sharing’ and file the information in the rubbish bin.
14. Carry your baby in a sling. Ditch the pram until you need it (after 6 months) use a shopping trolly to get out to the local shops and get to know your area.
15. When your baby wants to eat get advice from La Leche League and Get ‘What Should I feed my Baby’ By Susannah Oliver. Be aware that most health visitors have yet to adopt the advice give by the Baby Friendly Initiative so are unlikely to support you in exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. Make friends with people who will support your choices around food.


If you are reading this feeling guilty or angry with me because you didn’t do these things – fine, I’m not passing judgement, Everyone has the free will to do/eat what they like. But just as the swing towards organic food and farming is in full flow I believe that we are just at the beginning of transforming the way we parent. The methods we currently employ has left us a legacy of dis-empowered, depressed, overweight addicted citizens. In cultures where they have maintained the natural flow these western illnesses are barely visible. It is never too late to change the course of your life or your children’s. The best thing you can do as a parent is to sort your stuff out. If you don’t you will just pass it on to your kids. How can you expect to have happy, contented, vibrant children making a difference to the world if you aren’t? Gandhi said ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ or to put it in the words of Jesus ‘Physician Heal Thyself’. Children will copy what they see from their parents – that’s how we learn unless we have the guts to question what’s not working. Take stock of your life and make a commitment to yourself to be the person you have always wanted to be but DO IT NOW – the best tool I have found for doing this is Landmark Educations Landmark Forum. This 3 day course is nothing short of miraculous. For me it has had the most transformational effect on my relationships and has given me powerful tools to create a wonderfully fulfilling life.

Tip: None of what you have read is true, it is just what works for me. You can dismiss everything or just take bits of it. The danger in any methodology is in acting like it is the truth. Be a magpie, take the bits that sparkle and resonate with you who you want to be in the world.

Email me if you want more info or need a contact. Eva