Hello lactneters....   My name is Genelle Dale and I am a
student of the University of North Dakota.  I have been following some of
the conversations on lactnet for almost a month now.  It is of great
service to me to read all the knowledge you all have networked
together!!  Wouldn't it be great if all aspects of nursing could do the
same to provide beneficial care to our clients.  I am writing to anyone
who can answer a question I have about the "normal"  duration that the
mom's  will generally breastfeed?   I am following a mom that plans to
get pregnant with her second child and she has continued to breastfeed
her first child who is now 2 1/2.  She complains about the rude things
people say to her that "it is not normal" to breastfeed this long.  They
also say that the child will not gain enough weight if she
continues.  This child is within the normal scale ranges and appears to
be a healthy child both physically and emotionally (naturally the mom and
her son have a very GREAT bonding).  In doing some research on this
subject I have read that there are several factors to the duration -
ranging from working moms, non employed, socioeconomic factors, cultural
factors, professionalism, time, duration of maternity leave, space and
support(Visness CM., Kennedy Kl).   In another study I read that the
relationship of hospital practice affected duration of breast feeding.
For example - Women who are given formula coupons and persuaded to use
pacifiers decreased  breastfeeding duration(Wright A.,Rice S.,Wells S.).  In
the same study it was noted that the percentage of infants fully
breastfed at
birth had declined during the 4-month period by the end of which more
than half
the infants were fully formula fed.  In many journals that I had
researched there were many given cases on how extended breastfeeding is a
known benefit to the health of children(Grummer-Strawn LM).  Yet there
are also studies that suggest that prolonged breastfeeding (typically
defined as beyond the first year of life) may be a risk factor for
malnutrition(Caulfield LE., Bentley ME., Ahmed S.).   I'd like to give my
mom some information on this and I will continue to research it.  Just
thought maybe someone had some ideas for her that have been helpful to
any of you.    Sorry for such a long explanation.  Just wanted to let
you know where I've been searching.

REFERENCES:
        Borresen HC. (1995) Journal of Human Lactation 11(3) 201-4 SEPT
        Caulfield LE., Bentley ME., Ahmed S.(1996) International Journal
of Epidemiology, 25(4):693-703 AUG
        Greiner T. (1996) Journal of Human Lactation 12(2):123-8 JUNE
        Grummer-Strawn LM. (1997) Pediatrics, 100(2 pt 1):214-9 AUG
        Wright A., Rice S., Wells S., Pediatrics (1996) 97(5) 669-75 MAY
        Visness CM.,Kennedy KL. American Journal of Public Health (1997)
87(6):945-50 JUNE