I once heard an LC from a developing country say "Asking how many times a
day an older baby nurses in a culture that carries their babies everywhere
in slings is like asking how many times do you kiss or play with your baby."
I wish I knew who said it, but I've thought of it many times (it reminds me
to kiss my kids more often too).  If you bf ecologically, it really is a
ridiculous question.  The problem is that so few western moms bf this way.
The socially acceptable answer for those who actually do bf ecologically
here (when the ped or your MIL asks)  usually comes out as "Oh, I don't
know...maybe when he wakes, then before morning nap, when he awakens, before
another nap, when he awakens, around dinner time, and before bed...maybe in
the middle of the night."  That usually means 20 times a day and may mean
all night long.  We become conditioned to vague answers that won't knock
people off their feet.

In my Lifetime Wellness class last night, someone brought up nighttime
nursing and I used an example of a friend of mine who is nursing her 6 year
old and 3 year old.  The class almost collectively passed out from shock.
Still, I make a point of mentioning these and that the world wide age of
weaning is around 4 years.  Years later, I've had former students call and
tell me that they still remember this and it influenced their decision to
continue bf.  Plant those seeds...and they will grow...maybe not for years
though.
Chris
-- Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC    [log in to unmask]

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