As a result of Stella Onion's sterling work on championing normal term 
nursing in the UK media this week, I'm now involved in a variety of 
discussions on the phenomenon of the atrophied suckle.

Of rather, am involved in discussions about if it exists, first and 
foremost, and if it does, how does it work.

On the 'pro' side:

Mothers report their nursling cannot effectively empty the breast as 
they reach an 'end' point, and therefore feel all nursing will end as 
the ability to do so, is lost.

There is an absence of evidence that nursing continues on until the 
'bitty' moment, from recorded history.  Whilst accounts of 12/13 still 
nursing exist, these could easily be a) children of poor generational 
nutrition who have not matured to the point a robust 'modern' 8 year old 
might have today or b) comfort nursing, not milk heavy nursing (and no 
way of finding out which)

On the 'anti' side:

Well, in absence of actual evidence of the mechanism, then surely there 
is none - surely it's cultural to end at some point, even if it's only 
between mother and child.

On the possible causes:

Adult teeth growing in changing mouth shape (as cited this week by Stella)

Tongue motion somehow changing.

So, in other words, a huge big puzzle!  With no doubt, no research in 
any direction.

Pour your wisdom and references upon me wise ones! Does this house 
believe in a natural atrophy point, or not?  And if it does, how does it 
happen?  One wonders how/when primates wean....

Morgan Gallagher

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