I am mostly an "auditor/lurker", but I am an RN/IBCLC
with 16+ years working in NICU/Peds hospital units.  I
advise parents that a previously weaned child may want
to nurse again once he/she sees a new sibling feeding
at the breast.  I don't make any value judgments about
it.  I would not consider making a child abuse
complaint if a mother reported a young child resuming
interest in breastfeeding, any more than I would for a
child greater than 2 yo in a sustained nursing
relationship.  I have also had contact with nursing
dyads where the child is breastfeeding & the child is
hospitalized due to illness or surgery, & I encourage
the mother to room-in & co-sleep to facilitate nursing
whether it's for comfort or whatever.  My only concern
would come in if a mother was forcing a child to
continue nursing past the point he/she was interested
in nursing--and I have to say I've never come across
that, only mothers who thought they had to apologize
because their past-infant age child was involved in a
nursing relationship.  In general, when I've talked to
mothers about this topic, it seems the older child is
briefly fascinated with breastfeeding again & ends it
after a few episodes at the breast.  Again, I wouldn't
be concerned if an older child decided to continue
after that point as well.

Sincerely,

Linda A. Madsen RN, BS, CPN, IBCLC

P>S>  And, as I saw that the original message was
written from a navel facility that I have worked in a
government hospital as well.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35
a year!  http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html