Recently I reviewed two websites and one recently published book. I was happy to see that Ecological Breastfeeding was mentioned in all three, but I was disappointed that this type of breastfeeding was not defined. I clicked “ecological breastfeeding” where it was highlighted at the two websites, but the referred “clicking” site did not define eco-breastfeeding. Ecological breastfeeding was mentioned in the text of the book because it provides “a period of amenorrhea from one year to three.” That sentence led to a footnote where exclusive breastfeeding for six months is mentioned. But eco-breastfeeding is more than just 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding.
In the past I have referred to the ecological breastfeeding pie which has 7 pieces. Exclusive breastfeeding is only one piece of this pie.
In the past the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) has been lumped together with eco-breastfeeding even though both are different. Also in the past, NFP teachers have defined LAM wrongly.
My main point in this blog is to encourage those who promote breastfeeding infertility—whether it be LAM or eco-breastfeeding—to define it and to do so correctly.
For those interested in good definitions of each, I would encourage teachers to use the NFPI teaching manual, Natural Family Planning: The Complete Approach. To study the importance and the research of the Seven Standards of eco-breastfeeding, I would encourage teachers to read The Seven Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding because this book is a short easy read, inexpensive and also available as an ebook. This book was written for those who say that breastfeeding certainly does not work as a birth spacer. The teaching manual just mentioned above is also inexpensive and can be obtained as an ebook.
Sheila Kippley