Even if mother does not give obvious signs of wanting to wean, toddlers in
our culture pick this up - or they pick up the lack of peers breastfeeding.
First, our breasts are not exposed. Second, there are few other toddlers
nursing around them.
My 20 month old rarely nurses except at bedtime or naptime. But take him to
the swimming pool...he sees breasts, he wants to nurse (I'm talking about
the changing rooms..) Take him to a La Leche meeting - he sees another
nursing toddler, he wants to nurse himself (and he's not averse to asking
the other toddler's mother either!) Toddlers want what their peers want, it
seems, be it toys or breasts. If women everywhere were walking around
pulling out their breasts (or not covering them up in the first place!)_and
nursing in public, I am sure our toddlers would all be nursing much more
often!
Anne Merewood