Natural Family Planning International

The extent of natural infertility is not the same for all mothers.  We have recently completed a study of the relationship between breastfeeding and natural infertility which indicated a range of experience.  We took the return of menses as the most readily obvious sign of returning fertility.  The group who followed the criteria of natural mothering listed very briefly in the previous blog and described more fully in Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing (Sheila Kippley, 1969) averaged 14.6 months before menses returned after childbirth.  The vast majority of these mothers experienced their first post-partum period between 9 and 16 months, but one mother had her periods return at only six weeks post-partum.  (The next shortest times were 4 and 7 months.) Still, this short-timer had the signal of menses prior to ovulation, and this is important for couples engaged in natural family planning.  On the other end, we had mothers who experienced 27 and 30 months without periods while nursing. (First printed in 1971)

(A 30% discount is now offered on all Kippley print books at lulu through August 7 in recognition of NFP week and World Breastfeeding Week.  In addition, Sophia is offering a 25% discount on Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood through August 7.  The code for this discount is “motherhood.”)

John and Sheila Kippley

This [natural mothering] means that in the early months (5-6) the baby’s sole source of nutrition and sucking is its mother’s breast.  That means no formulas, no solids, and no liquids—not even water.  (The result of this is healthier babies who have fewer allergies and sicknesses and fewer problems with early obesity.)  It means further that the baby gets to nurse when it wants to rather than on a pre-set schedule and that he or she will get the opportunity to nurse during the night as well as during the day.  This is especially convenient when mother sleeps with baby.  It means that pacifiers are not used; instead the baby is allowed to nurse for pacification as well as for nourishment.

If any of this sounds strange or “unnatural” to you, it is simply an indication of the extent to which you have been conditioned to accept all the artifacts that the medical-industrial complex has foisted on Western culture with regard to baby care.  Behind every aspect of the overall condition of natural mothering is the fact that breastfeeding’s natural infertility is dependent upon a regular sucking stimulus.  The various artifacts mentioned plus such cultural patterns as trying to avoid any sort of night feedings, having baby sleep in a separate bed, letting baby cry it out, etc. are patterns which reduce the amount and frequency of suckling and which separate mother and her baby.  Natural, ecological breastfeeding brings mother and baby together in a warm relationship that provides the best nutrition, emotional satisfaction and natural infertility.  (First printed in 1971)

John and Sheila Kippley

First of all, what are the conditions? It helps to keep in mind that we are dealing with a very basic ecological relationship.  Most of us have heard enough about ecology to know that when man starts tempering with one aspect of ecology, something else goes out of whack.  One of the great benefits of the ecology movement has been an increased awareness that man should foster the natural relationships even at the cost of some inconvenience to himself.

The basic overall condition for experiencing the natural infertility effect of breastfeeding is the return to a truly natural form of mothering.  Such a style of mothering centers on taking care of the baby’s needs and avoids the un-ecological practices of our cultural child care. (First printed in 1971)

John and Sheila Kippley