These Parents Are Intent On Raising Their Kids Free-Range

Parents Adele and Matt Allen from Brighton believe in an all-natural approach to bringing up their children - so much so, they refuse modern medicine, traditional schooling and encourage full-term breastfeeding. They call their parenting style ‘Off-Grid Parenting’ and their children Ulysses, five and Ostara, one, are therefore both still breastfed, have never visited a doctor and will not attend a mainstream school.

When Adele, a writer, fell pregnant with her son, the couple’s controversial methods felt completely natural to them. Adele gave birth to both her children completely unassisted and with no medical intervention with only her husband Matt by her side.

The mom said: “The thought of giving birth in a hospital just didn’t appeal to me because of many reasons - mostly the observer effect. Also, the interventions I think can be gently nudged on you when you are in a very vulnerable state.”

She gave birth to both of her children at home, completely unassisted. The opted for ‘lotus births’, meaning that both the placenta and the umbilical cords were left to fall off naturally. As for the breastfeeding, the of-the-grid mom says it is just as natural as a hug, it’s a form of connecting with one’s child. She also uses her breast milk as a dietary supplement for her children, but also as a medicine; Adele squirts some of it in the children’s eyes if they have an infection, or gives them lemon juice if they are ill.

Videographer / director: Jon Dean
Producer: Charley Sutton, Ellie Winstanley
Editor: Marcus Cooper