We make our language as we go along.  :-)

The fact that it requires a bit of effort, doesn't mean it's not 
posible, or desirable.  Deep down most people know that nursing means a 
baby at the breast.  Surely the fact that it now means just holding in 
some areas, is part of the relentless removal of human nursing of human 
children from our culture?  Just as the move to 'breast' only meaning a 
female breast is a refelection of cultural change... moving back to 
nursing in our language would reflect we're shifting the culture back to 
the biological norm.  In my world anyway. ;-
)

Like I said, I'm for putting it back!  And I suspect I've just hit 
post-count for today. :-)

Morgan Gallagher

heather wrote:
> Hard, though.....in the north of England, where I am (and in other 
> areas of the UK, too), 'nursing' the baby means 'holding' the baby, 
> but mostly in order to offer comfort and love. Anyone can do it, male, 
> female, sibling, friend.  A  grandfather might say, 'give me the baby 
> and I will nurse her for a bit'. Occasionally, I have heard it used to 
> mean 'breastfeeding' and 'a nursing mother' does tend mean 'a mother 
> who is breastfeeding' . 

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