Ecological Breastfeeding

Increasing numbers of mothers are choosing to adopt natural forms of birth control to support their decisions to breastfeed, as use of chemical contraceptives, including the mini pill, is to be avoided while breastfeeding. This leaves women like me, searching for other options when they choose to breastfeed in accordance with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standards recommending exclusive breastfeeding for the first six month then continued breastfeeding to at least 30 months.

The Natural Fertility Planning (NFP) Method pioneered by John and Sheila Kippley constitutes two distinct forms. The first part is Ecological Breastfeeding (or eco-breastfeeding), as mentioned in the article Prolactin and Breastfeeding Styles. This is a form of child care that normally spaces babies about two years apart on the average. The second part is Systematic NFP a system that uses a woman’s signs of fertility to determine the fertile and infertile times of her cycle (including practises such as the rhythm and temperature methods and observing cervical mucous changes) .

At the heart of eco-breastfeeding are the Seven Standards of ecological breastfeeding which utilise the Kippley’s two keys to natural infertility – frequent suckling and the mother-baby togetherness paradigm.

So what are the seven standards of ecological breastfeeding?

Breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of life.

This means the baby does not receive other liquids or solids, not even water. This falls into line with the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for delayed introduction of solids and a focus on exclusive breastfeeding.

Pacify or comfort baby at the breast

The breast is solely responsible for nourishment and comfort. In doing so the time and frequency of suckling and skin to skin contact with the baby is maximised.

Saying no to bottles and pacifiers

This includes the use of bottles or cups to feed a baby expressed breast milk. The premise of eco-breastfeeding is that frequent suckling at the breast maintains infertility so anything that restricts that decreases breastfeeding’s influence on fertility.  The biological underpinning is frequent breastfeeding keeps prolactin levels which, in turn suppresses the normal hormones of ovulation.

Sleep with the baby for night feedings

This is also known as co-sleeping or bed sharing. It involves many different types of sleeping arrangements, including have a baby/child in the family bed, having a cot attached to the family bed for the baby/child to sleep in or having the baby/child in a cot in the parent’s bed room. You can read more about co-sleeping in the wonderful books The Family Bed and Three in the Bed:the benefits of sleeping with your baby Studies have shown that babies who co-sleep feed three times more in the night than babies sleeping separately.

Sleep with your baby for a daily-nap feeding

The Kippley’s report this is the most common standard not adhered to, and where the find the greatest hiccups occur with unplanned conceptions. They write: “A short nap gives the mother a better disposition during the remainder of the day. The natural spacing mechanism seems to work best when the mother is relaxed and at rest.”

Breastfeed frequently day and night and avoid schedules

This is also known as on demand breastfeeding, or child lead feeding and is known to be both the best for babies and for maintaining a good supply of breast milk. It also include refraining from ‘sleep training’ or having expectations on the need for babies to sleep through the night from an early age, which has become a common expectation in Western societies.  Night weaning will hasten the return of fertility.

Avoid any practice that restricts breastfeeding or separates mother from baby

Maximising the mother-baby connection includes, minimising the time and regularity of separations (the suggestion being no more than three hours, every now and again) and baby wearing in a sling or baby carrier.

Ecological breastfeeding is the only pattern of breastfeeding currently associated with extended natural infertility. The average return to menstruation by eco-breastfeeding mothers is 14.5 months.

Part four of the Breastfeeding and Fertility series looks at the effectiveness of Eco-Breastfeeding compared to other methods of natural and chemical contraception.

Authors Note: It should be observed that breastfeeding should cannot be considered an effective form of contraception if mothers have had any bleeding after the first eight post partum weeks . All women practising natural forms of birth control should also be aware of  a second spontaneous period of fertility.  For more information on this second phase of fertility see the Lunar Cycle of Fertility.

Resources

Kippley, J & S Chapter 6: Ecological Breastfeeding from Natural Family Planning: the Complete Approach

Breastfeeding in the River, (c) Karen van Harskamp 2005 from private collection

Related Articles at Type A Mom

The Effectiveness of LAM and Eco-Breastfeeding as Contraceptives
Breastfeeding and Fertility Myths
Prolactin and Breastfeeding Styles

Jodi Cleghorn is a Brisbane mother. writer, lactivist and natural birth advocate. She is the co-author of the book Reclaim Sex After Birth: the survival guide and creator of the Date Night Challenge With the end of the Easter school holidays this week, Jodi is looking forward to sharing a coffee and chat, alone, with best friend and Suburban Mom Annie Evett to brain storm future writing ideas.

Related posts:

1. Breastfeeding and Fertility Myths
2. Prolactin and Breastfeeding Styles
3. Introducing New Breastfeeding Editor
4. Get a Good Start to Breastfeeding
5. Breastfeeding Problems and Solutions