I thought that I would ask your opinion on this:  I had a mom from an LLL
meeting call me, and we got to talking about other cultures' nursing
traditions.  She says that she doesn't believe tandem nursing is common in
other cultures at all, and is bothered when moms try to say that because other
cultures tandem nurse, then it is "okay" to do it here.  She seems to think
that most other cultures wean the older nursling when the next baby is on the
way.  My point to her was that (and she seemed to agree) if other cultures
traditionally nurse children until ages 2,3,4,5 or older, then *somebody* must
be tandem nursing!  Mothers nursing a six year old are highly likely to have
another baby sometime during those six years (asumming the absence of
artificial birth control).  I, of course, also said that LLL doesn't
"proscribe" tandem nursing for anyone, that it is a mother's decision with her
child, and I quoted our concept on weaning.  I also said that we give
research-based information about nursing through a pregnancy and tandem
nursing so that a mom can make an informed decision.
  The mom also seemed to think that the main reason that a child would be
nursing into toddlerhood and beyond is because their is a paucity of other
food in their environment, or that the family is poor.  I really didn't argue
her points, just listened.  I suggested that she read Dr. Dettwyler's writings
on the subject of breastfeeding.  She doesn't have Internet access, or I would
have sent her searching there!

I welcome a discussion on this.  Is it unusual or usual for women to nurse
more than one baby at a time in "other" cultures?

Lisa Jones, LLLL in Wellington FL_ who unfortunately found the ICLA conference
in her back yard too costly for her at this time to attend :-(