Natural Family Planning International

. Both acts involve a love that unifies two persons, according to the definition of love given by Pope John Paul II in his book Love and Responsibility. I believe that this unifying love can be experienced by both husband and wife and also by the breastfeeding mother and her baby. In fact, “The greater the feeling of responsibility for the person, the more true love there is.” Certainly there is a grave responsibility to give an infant the very best of care when a mother chooses to breastfeed.

The Pope in his earlier days said that love never utilizes a person. This is especially true with breastfeeding. A mother learns to give to her baby by the very fact that she is breastfeeding. She is constantly giving to her baby. Her reward comes when her baby learns to love her in return and soon becomes a very affectionate child. The baby soon has eyes only for his mother and will usually kick happily or show bodily signs of happiness when his mother gets ready to nurse him. It is very difficult for a mother to abuse her baby or to use her baby for other purposes. On the other hand, abuses in the marriage relationship are observed frequently in our society.

Sheila Kippley
Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood
Sophia (800-888-9344)  is offering a 25% discount to any order for Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood (paperback and eBook) during World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7.  Offer expires Aug. 7, 11:59 PM.  Use promo code WBW25 when ordering.  Get this book for yourself, a priest, a seminarian, an expectant mother and religion teachers.

. Both acts should involve the gift of self to another. Husband and wife show their intimate love for each other physically and emotionally in the marriage act, giving themselves to each other without holding anything back, including their fertility. Breastfeeding helps the mother become a “gift of self ” to her baby continually throughout the day. Breastfeeding teaches a mother to put her baby first and to give of her time for the needs of her baby. This learning process occurs in an easy and natural way with breastfeeding.

Because we are only human, we know that there may occasionally be grumbling and complaining between husband and wife or by the breastfeeding mother over her particular situation. But in both relationships, the married couple and the breastfeeding mother should have the faithful commitment to be a gift of self to the other and to spend time, heart, and soul serving the other. Love is thinking of the good of the other and showing this thoughtfulness in words and deeds.

Sheila Kippley
Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood
Sophia (800-888-9344) is offering a 25% discount to any order for Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood (paperback and eBook) during World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7.  Offer expires Aug. 7, 11:59 PM.  Use promo code WBW25 when ordering.  Get this book for yourself, a priest, a seminarian, an expectant mother and religion teachers.

. Both biological acts have an impact upon the family and society. When the two persons, husband and wife, remain together in faithful marriage, both family and society benefit. Children do much better in all facets of their lives when they have their two parents living together in the same household. We all probably know people who claim the divorce of their parents was one of the worst events in their lives.

Breastfeeding likewise can have a significant impact, physically and emotionally, on the health of an individual and the family and thus upon society… Experts tell us that how a mother cares for her child during the first three years of life can have a tremendous impact upon the health of our society. God in his wisdom helps to ensure this care during most of the first three years of life through prolonged lactation.

Sheila Kippley
Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood
Sophia (800-888-9344) is offering a 25% discount to any order for Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood (paperback and eBook) during World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7.  Offer expires Aug. 7, 11:59 PM.  Use promo code WBW25 when ordering.  Get this book for yourself, a priest, a seminarian, an expectant mother and religion teachers.