NFP - Two basic forms

CCL teaches two basic forms of Natural Family Planning (NFP) — the Sympto-Thermal Method and Ecological Breastfeeding.

The Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) is based on daily fertility awareness; a couple charts the wife’s common signs of fertility day by day and uses that information to determine her fertile and infertile times. It can be used both to achieve and to avoid or postpone pregnancy. When used to avoid pregnancy, the couple abstains from marital relations (intercourse) during the fertile time.

Ecological Breastfeeding is actually the world’s oldest form of NFP. It is still widely practiced in certain parts of the world, and is used successfully to space children by many women in the United States. The key factor in Ecological Breastfeeding is frequent suckling. It usually requires minimal fertility awareness, especially in the early months, and, in the absence of signs of possible fertility, no periodic abstinence. The term "ecological breastfeeding" was developed to sharply distinguish this form of baby care from "cultural breastfeeding" which provides little or no natural infertility. Read more at Ecological Breastfeeding.