Natural Family Planning International

            In 1972 with 29 ecological breastfeeding cases and in 1989 with almost 100 ecological breastfeeding cases studied, we published similar results.  American mothers doing ecological breastfeeding according to the Seven Standards averaged 14.5 months without menstruation after childbirth, proving that breastfeeding can be used by American mothers to space their babies naturally.

            The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied 173,205 births in Utah from 1989 to 1996 and found that babies were at higher risk for poor health if born too close or too far apart.  This study concluded that the best spacing for the health of babies was a 2.5 year interval.  Such a study of a selected culture is more suggestive than conclusive.  But it does suggest that the natural spacing via breastfeeding may have another benefit.  In our studies, 70% of the eco-breastfeeding moms had their first period between 9 and 20 months postpartum.  If they became fertile and pregnant immediately, they would have births between 19 and 30 months, for an average of a two year natural spacing.

            Learn to appreciate nature’s way built into a woman’s reproductive system and the importance of ecological breastfeeding in this whole process. 

Sheila Kippley

The Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor

            In 1988 an international group of scientists and others with expertise in the fields of breastfeeding and infertility met in Bellagio, Italy to see if they could agree on a common statement about breastfeeding infertility.  After reviewing the studies, they concluded that an exclusively breastfeeding mother can ignore any vaginal bleeding during the first 8 weeks postpartum.  Any bleeding, even that resembling a period, can be ignored during this time because she is infertile during this time, provided she is exclusively breastfeeding.  This is called the Bellagio Consensus. 

            In 1968 Dr. T. J. Cronin concluded that “provided full breastfeeding is in progress and menstruation has not returned, ovulation does not happen before the end of the 10^th postpartum week.”  This conclusion fits well with the Bellagio Consensus.

            This knowledge is helpful for all mothers who are exclusively breastfeeding and who are interested in natural child spacing.  They need to know it.  This is taught in the regular course and manual of NFPI.

Sheila Kippley

The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor

            In 1943, Dr. Paul Topkins concluded that during “the amenorrheic period of lactation, ovulation does not occur.”  Generally speaking, Dr. Topkins is correct since he did endometrial biopsies on 28 lactating mothers during amenorrhea repeatedly, mostly during the early months after childbirth.  But today we know that mothers can experience ovulation during amenorrhea, especially when the nursing is not frequent enough and there are long intervals between the feeding sessions. 

            In 1954, Dr. Thomas McKeown studied over 900 nursing mothers.  In his study, no mother conceived while exclusively breastfeeding and before they had their first period.

            Today the Lactational Amenorrhea Method has been studied scientifically many times.  This method provides an exclusively breastfeeding non-cycling mother with a baby under six months old with an effectiveness of at least 98%.  Once the baby turns six months old or the mother quits breastfeeding exclusively or the mother begins to have vaginal bleeding or menstruation after the 56^th postpartum day, this effectiveness no longer applies.  This exclusive breastfeeding rule is promoted throughout the world.

            Research since the 50s have shown that introduction of other liquids and solids during the early months after childbirth is associated with an early return of fertility.  However, if a mother is interested in natural child spacing, she should exclusively breastfeed her baby for the first six months and also follow the Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding.

Sheila Kippley

The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor