There has been some discussion regarding the best way to counsel
schedule feeding Christians. As a Christian, I think I can help. The
Ezzo teaching is clearly contrary to the Bible in a number of areas. If
you are able to show women what the Bible truly says, many of them will
reject the Ezzo teaching outright or at least modify it greatly! I would
like to submit some Scriptures that might help you when you are dealing
with a family who has accepted this teaching.
#1 area of conflict: The Ezzo teaching is clearly contrary to the Bible
when it instructs parents to follow the plan even at the expense of the
method--breast or bottle.
We see this first in the Biblical account of creation. When God created
Eve's body with her ability to bear and nurse children, He did so
perfectly (Genesis 1:31). We must accept God's wisdom as superior to our
own. Creation shows that breastfeeding is God's design; bottlefeeding is
man's imitation.
At times throughout history, women have refused to nurse their babies.
This was the case for Hebrew women during the destruction of Jerusalem by
the Babylonians in 586 B. C. The prophet Jeremiah gives us God's words,
which reveal his attitude toward women who refuse to nurse their babies:
"Even the sea monsters [fierce beasts] draw out the breast, they give
suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel
[harsh, bold, violent, like poison] like the ostriches of the
wilderness." (Lamentations 4:3)
God's Word here is that refusing to nurse is cruel--mothering like an
ostrich! How does an ostrich mother?
"The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, But are her wings and pinions
like the kindly stork's? For she leaves her eggs on the ground, and
warms them in the dust; she forgets that a foot may crush them, or that a
wild beast may break them. She treats her young harshly, as though they
were not hers; her labor is in vain, without concern." (Job 39:13-16)
She treats her babies as if they were not her own and does not take
sufficient regard for their health and safety. Bottlefeeding certainly
fits those criteria. (And mixing formula and washing all that
paraphernalia--talk about laboring in vain--for nothing, to no benefit)!
"Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty,
who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the
deep that lieth under, blessings of the breast, and of the womb."
(Genesis 49:25)
Every plan that God has made for us is for our good and for the good of
our children. We need to trust him that He knows best. The ability to
nurse is a blessing!
"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength
[power, protection] because of thine enemies [distresses, afflictions,
persecutions, oppressions], that thou mightest still the enemy and the
avenger." (Psalm 8:2)
This may be an allusion to the wonderful health benefits of nursing.
Choosing bottlefeeding in order to maintain a schedule is contrary to the
Bible for the following reasons:
1. God has given us the example of fierce beasts; even they will not
refuse to nurse their young.
2. God calls refusing to nurse (even in harsh circumstances where we
would tend to excuse it) cruel--bold, harsh, violent, like poison.
3. God has given us the ostrich, as an example of cruelty. She does not
keep her young safe and treats them as if they were not her own.
4. Breastfeeding is a blessing from God.
5. Breastfeeding protects our babies from disease.
Jesus was breastfed:
"And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the
company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that
bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked." (Luke 11:27)
When considering the example of the Lord, Jesus, it is interesting also
to read the account of his birth and early days and note the number of
times the phrase, "the young child and his mother" is used.
--
Valerie Jacobsen, mom of five, RN, MS
|
