The HHS ruling which forces Catholic-affliated employers to cover free birth control, free abortifacients, and free sterilizations follows the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation that such treatments are preventive health so women can “space their pregnancies to promote optimal birth outcomes” (Clinical Preventive Services for Women, Institute of Medicine, July 2011).
If the government really wanted to space pregnancies in a healthy way, it would go green and promote the kind of breastfeeding known as ecological breastfeeding. This is the only type of breastfeeding associated with an extended length of amenorrhea (no periods) for an average of 14 to 15 months postpartum.
The research is there, but they ignore this natural way of spacing babies. It’s God plan for mother and baby, a theology of the body that is poorly ignored. And, unfortunately, our Church leaders also ignore it.
Because of the many health benefits to both mother and child with extended breastfeeding, it is hard to know why the government and the Church fail to promote this most natural method. Eco-breastfeeding achieves its average two-year baby spacing without abstinence. This is a subject which Church and State ought to agree and promote.
As a Catholic one cannot vote for anyone who promotes such evils and makes immorality a law of the land. This also includes the evil of abortion.
Sheila Kippley
Research available at NFPI Website
For a USCCB response, see John’s blog. For a fascinating take on the HHS Dictate, see America’s Pact with the Devil by Paul Rehe.
I was talking to a pregnant woman yesterday about what nfp was and when her husband came over, she laughed and said to him, “This lady wants me to have a bunch of kids”. I was so shocked; I said nothing of the sort, but NFP just seems to still have a bad reputation of being ineffective.
Regarding your not understanding why eco-Breastfeeding is not promoted, it seems to be very misunderstood as well. I am sure glad that I discovered it with my first child and used it for all my babies. My husband thinks it is so wholesome for the whole family!
Regarding the effectiveness of the sympto-thermal method, research shows it to be 99.6% effective as explained in our NFP manual when the rules are followed. Likewise, ecological breastfeeding is very effective prior to the first menstruation during the first 6 months postpartum if all the Seven Standards are followed. Again I refer to the NFPI manual available at this website or the The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor (print, ebook at amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.). Exclusive breastfeeding is likewise very effective when the criteria are met which are stressed in the NFPI manual.