I am in total agreement with the sentiment about the difference, but the
word nusing, to my ears -- the ears of someone who left the US at the age of
20 (and had two breastfed baby sisters in the 1960's -- one to 11 months, in
1967, which was fairly unusual in Texas, I think), nursing conjures up
bedpans, thermometers, white dresses and subservience to doctors, NOT the
kind of relationship you are describing Diane.  (In any case 'nursing'
described the activity nurses do, so it is potentially confusing.)   Since
'nursing' is in use in the US in what I took to be a euphemistical type way
for breastfeeding could I be daring and ask if there is another word we
could start to use?

I asked my husband if there was a way to find out what the anglo-saxon for
it was -- he says that the number of anglo saxon texts extant is fairly
small and it might not be mentioned and he knows only of an English -
anglo-saxon dictionary, not the reverse.  [I thought of this, because of Gay
Palmer's discussion of the anglo-saxon meaning of weaning.]  In German they
have 'stillen' = to soothe.  How does the Norwegian translate, Rachel -- or
, does anyone know another way to describe?  I don't think we could 'sell'
nursing here in the UK (and you must notice I find the connotations above
very negative, no offense to any nurses).

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

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