Thanks very much Robyn. I might see if I can track down the reference though it might be difficult without more detail. I agree that children can forget how to suckle but this is not all children by any means. I would challenge the assertion that suction must be lost by 2 or 3 years. My basis, personal experience...my daughter was 3y4m at adoption and 3.5y when she started breastfeeding. It had been at least 3 years since she might have been breastfed. I think those early instinctive behaviours can be brought back to the surface under particular circumstances. Karleen Gribble Australia > I don't know if this is at all helpful or not...but in the Maternal & Infant > Assessment class I just took (Healthy Children) the physiology of suction > was discussed and the reference given for "suction by mouth or tounge is an > infant mechanism-outgrown by 2 to 3 years, unless the child continues to > nurse" was given as Auerbach (1888). The course instructor went on to say > that once the child does wean they do not remember how to suckle in that way > again, it is an instinctive behavior and only 'works ' for as long as it is > used on a regular basis, once it is not used anymore it is lost. > > *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html