As the original article indicated, we have been promoting ecological breastfeeding as a form of natural family planning since 1969 and even earlier. How much progress have we made? NFPI is currently the only NFP organization in America that teaches and promotes eco-breastfeeding. That is truly sad because it is God’s plan for spacing babies.
There are some minor changes since 1971. Then we wrote, “We don’t think that a mother should breatfeed just to get the side effect of natural infertility.” Today we need to add that there is nothing wrong with that motive even though it’s not the best. There is nothing wrong with doing eco-breastfeeding to seek any of its benefits. In our culture, however, if moms are going to continue to breastfeed, they will need to do so for the fuller reason of all the benefits for their babies.
The “nap” standard is not mentioned in this 1971 article. Why? Naps were common for mothers in the Sixties. Many of our friends with young children knew the benefits of taking a nap. They took naps whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. They simply took the phone off the hook during naptime. We did not have answering machines in those days. We now know of three books that promote the benefits of taking a nap geared for young adult students or grown adults. Sheila has included these books in her chapter on the Fifth Standard in her book, The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding.
John and I have written or contacted many dioceses, priests, bishops, and the Popes to promote the teaching of ecological breastfeeding in NFP programs. Some day these efforts will bear fruit. The local church and the NFP movement cannot ignore indefinitely the reality and blessings of eco-breastfeeding. The most encouraging signs are mothers who discover eco-breastfeeding and express their enthusiasm for this form of natural infertility in their blogs. We hope you enjoyed these NFP Awareness Week blogs.
To show the natural spacing benefits of eco-breastfeeding, go to the CNML’s blog.
(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.” Ignatius Press is offering Sex and the Marriage Covenant for only $6.00 through August 31.))
Sheila Kippley