Natural Family Planning International

“This is the only method of child spacing that appeals to my husband and me in every possible way.  Myself, I look for simpler answers—ones that women in non-technological societies might discover—and in breastfeeding I found it.”
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“I read your book, Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing, when I was pregnant and I found it very inspiring and helpful.  I went 21 months without cycling after my first was born and 25 months after my second was born.  My third son is 7 months old and I am not cycling yet.  My husband and I do not really use [systematic NFP].  I have found that breastfeeding is enough.”
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Ecological Breastfeeding:  For those interested in spacing births via ecological breastfeeding, I encourage you to read The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor.  It is the latest, up-to-date version on this topic.

The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor, Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing, Battle-Scarred, and Natural Family Planning: The Complete Approach are 40% off through August 7 at lulu.com.

Breastfeeding Survey:  Any mother who has done ecological breastfeeding and has had a return of menstruation is invited to complete the NFPI breastfeeding survey.  If a mother believes the Seven Standards did not give her an extended period of breastfeeding infertility, we would like to hear from her also.

Sheila Kippley

Some working mothers have found a way to bring their baby to work, or their business allows them to work from home.  One Cincinnati doctor (written up many years ago in the local newspaper) always took her baby with her to visit her elderly patients.  There are also those mothers who decide to stay home because of their baby.  Here is one such story.
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I graduated from medical school in summer 2008 and was 6 months pregnant. I took a year of maternity leave and practiced ecological breastfeeding with my son. I had read Sheila’s book on the Seven Standards…but mothering him in that way just sprung forth from my heart as the most natural and integral way to love him. I remember feeling so distressed at times while breastfeeding him at the thought that I “had” to leave him and return to my medical work when he was a mere 9 months old. It felt like it was a great betrayal of his love, reliance and trust for me, and my heart was torn at the thought of separating from him. Our breastfeeding relationship was really at the heart of this; those moments of close quiet intimacy dozens of times a day helped intertwine our hearts.

I did return to work as a doctor because it was what everyone expected of me, as a 25 year old who had just spent 6 years of her life at medical school.
However I only lasted 6 weeks; my son was distraught, I missed him painfully and the separation from each other was adversely affecting his behaviour and our close relationship. I just couldn’t do it any more; I wanted to be physically available for him whenever he might need me.

Totally quitting medical work was a pretty huge step, and while I had the unconditional support (and encouragement) from my husband, other members of my family always made me feel that I had taken the ‘loser’ option of being a stay-at-home ‘no-one’; a mere mother when I could’ve been a ‘great doctor’ with an admirable career.

I carried on breastfeeding my son and remained in lactational amenorrhoea for 22 months and then immediately conceived again! I carried on breastfeeding my first child throughout my second pregnancy.  My second son was born 3 weeks ago. I am now breastfeeding both of them and I know that the breastfeeding has been an irreplaceable source of reassurance of my love for my oldest child (now 2yrs 7months) during this time of change with the arrival of a sibling.
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“Breastfeeding has a very definite effect on child spacing.  With my bottlefed children I conceived again at 8 months after childbirth despite other contraceptives.  It has been 15 months since the last baby was born. No period yet.”
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Ecological Breastfeeding:  For those interested in spacing births via ecological breastfeeding, I encourage you to read The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor.  It is the latest, up-to-date version on this topic.

The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor, Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing, Battle-Scarred, and Natural Family Planning: The Complete Approach are 40% off through August 7 at lulu.com.

Breastfeeding Survey:  Any mother who has done ecological breastfeeding and has had a return of menstruation is invited to complete the NFPI breastfeeding survey.  If a mother believes the Seven Standards did not give her an extended period of breastfeeding infertility, we would like to hear from her also.

Sheila Kippley

We are celebrating World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) by concentrating on an important benefit of ecological breastfeeding: spacing births.  Ecological breastfeeding has so many benefits, including natural child spacing, that every woman, regardless of her faith, should know of this option for spacing births.

What is ecological breastfeeding? Ecological breastfeeding is that form of nursing in which the mother fulfills her baby’s needs for frequent suckling and her full-time presence and in which the child’s frequent suckling postpones the return of the mother’s fertility.  The Seven Standards of ecological breastfeeding are necessary because the Standards are maternal behaviors associated with breastfeeding’s extended natural infertility.

Research done in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s confirms the fact that breastfeeding infertility is a fact of life.  The only kind of breastfeeding that consistently provides breastfeeding infertility is ecological breastfeeding.  Eco-breastfeeding is caring for your baby with your body, with what you have naturally, and not caring for your baby with items you can purchase.  It means avoiding the use of artifacts, such as pacifiers and bottles, and avoiding the use of mother substitutes, such as babysitters.  Eco-breastfeeding also follows the natural baby-initiated patterns.

Norms:  Extended breastfeeding and extended amenorrhea are the norm after childbirth. Amenorrhea means that a woman is not having any menstrual periods.  For a woman to have menstruation return within three months after childbirth should be the exception, not the norm, if you take Nature as your guide.

A couple chooses breastfeeding because breastfeeding is best for their baby and also for the health of the mother.  If the mother breastfeeds as nature intended, then the mother will most likely experience 6 months of amenorrhea postpartum and have a 98-99% rate of natural infertility during that 6 months’ time.  If she continues to breastfeed as nature intended and the frequency of nursing contines, she will likely continue in amenorrhea and have in addition natural child spacing through breastfeeding without any other method of family planning.  Our published studies found an average of 14.5 months of breastfeeding amenorrhea.  Only 7% had less than 6 months and one-third had 18 months or more. Thus natural child spacing is also a norm intended by nature! The key to the natural plan is mother-baby togetherness and frequent and unrestricted nursing as provided by The Seven Standards.
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“I am currently nursing my 17 month old without a return of my periods.”
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“My son nurses on and off during the nights.  He is 22 months old and I have not had a period yet.”
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Ecological Breastfeeding:  For those interested in spacing births via ecological breastfeeding, I encourage you to read The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor. It is the latest, up-to-date version on this topic.

The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding: The Frequency Factor, Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing, Battle-Scarred, and Natural Family Planning: The Complete Approach are 40% off through August 7 at lulu.com.  All are available as ebooks except Battle-Scarred.

Breastfeeding Survey:  Any mother who has done ecological breastfeeding and has had a return of menstruation is invited to complete the NFPI breastfeeding survey.  If a mother believes the Seven Standards did not give her an extended period of breastfeeding infertility, we would like to hear from her also.

Sheila Kippley