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On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 Morgan Gallagher asked whether there was an end point at which the suck reflux atrophied.
See my case series on children aged 12-48 months who returned to the biological mother's breast, mostly on the *child's* insistence.  (It was published under my previous surname, Phillips.)  
* Phillips V. Relactation in mothers of children over 12 months. J Trop Pediatr 1993; 39(1):45-48.
Karleen Gribble has also published on older adopted children who went to breast.
* Gribble K. Post-institutionalized adopted children who seek breastfeeding from their new mothers. Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health 2005;19: 217-235.
While the fact that children do return to the breast in toddlerhood and beyond doesn't prove anything, it does raise doubts about a generalisation such as that being canvassed in the UK.  I believe there are too many factors for a generalisation, some of which we don't yet know.

Virginia Thorley, OAM, MA, PhD, IBCLC
IBCLC Lactation Consultant (original cohort of 1985).
Cultural Historian of the History of Medicine.
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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