The following survey is being conducted by me, Katherine A. Dettwyler,
Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Texas A&M University. I
would greatly appreciate your help in gathering data on the frequency of
extended breastfeeding (3 years or longer) in the United States. Please
fill out and return the survey if it applies to you, and *please* send
e-mail or paper copies to anyone you know who is now breastfeeding, or has
in the past (even the distant past) breastfed a child of 3 years or older
and ask them to participate. Paper surveys can be mailed to: Dr. K.A.
Dettwyler, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, College
Station, TX 77843-4352. All results will be kept STRICTLY confidential.
Aggregate data will be used in professional journal articles or book
chapters, and will be posted on my web page
(http://www.prairienet.org/community/health/laleche/dettwyler.html). I
invite you to visit my web page and read my article on "When Nature Intended
Humans to Wean" (the short answer is: 2.5 years to 7.0 years). Thank you.
For EACH child breastfed to the age of 3 years or beyond:
1. Birth year of this child _____
Is the child still nursing? Yes _____ No _____
If yes, how old is the child? _____
If no, how old was the child when s/he was completely weaned (no
longer breastfeeding at all)? _____
2. How sure are you of the accuracy of the weaning age reported in question
1 for a child already weaned?
_____ extremely sure
_____ pretty sure
_____ it's an approximation, give or take a few weeks/months (circle)
_____ not sure at all
3. For a child who is already weaned, would you describe this child's
weaning as
_____ child-led, s/he was allowed to nurse as long as s/he wanted
_____ a negotiated agreement to stop nursing, with encouragement from
mom to stop
_____ mother-led, mother decided (for whatever reason) that it was time
to stop nursing, and child expressed some resistance
_____ other (explain)
4. Have you ever become pregnant again while breastfeeding?
5. If yes to Question 4, did the subsequent pregnancy precipitate
_____ child-led weaning (didn't like taste/quantity of milk?)
_____ a negotiated agreement to stop nursing
_____ mother-led weaning
6. If yes to Question 4, and child did not wean during the pregnancy,
did you tandem nurse?
If yes, for how long? _________
7. If you tandem nursed, did the older child wean first? Yes ___ No ___
If yes, was this weaning:
_____ child-led
_____ a negotiated agreement
_____ mother-led
8. How many of your relatives, friends and acquaintances have breastfed a
child to 3 years or older?
_____ none, I'm the only one I know personally
_____ a few, but we are exceptions to the community norm
_____ many, there are quite a few people in our community/circle who
practice extended breastfeeding
The following information is optional:
self-described ethnic group:
self-described socio-economic status:
self-described educational level of mother:
self-described educational level of father:
If you would like to be included in a more formal, detailed mail survey on
extended breastfeeding, please provide:
Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Phone number:
NOTE: ALL INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
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Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D. email: [log in to unmask]
Anthropology Department phone: (409) 845-5256
Texas A&M University fax: (409) 845-4070
College Station, TX 77843-4352
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