I have a book "Illustrated Babywatching" by best-selling author,
zoologist and people-watcher, Desmond Morris.  Under the heading "how do
babies indicate that they are fully fed", he states:
"When a baby has had enough food, whether it is being offered breast,
bottle or spoon, it reacts in two characteristic ways.  One is to push
the food, the nipple or the spoon out of the mouth with its tongue.  The
other is to twist its head away from the food source.  Sticking out the
tongue and turning the head both occur as important human rejection
signals in many social contexts.  Twisting away the head has given rise
to an adult signal, the almost universal head shake that means 'no.'
He also goes on to say "In certain parts of the world, especially
Greece, there is a different head sign for 'no'.  The Greek No, as it is
called, consists of tossing the head up and back.  This is far less
widespread that the head shake, but it appears to have the same origin.
Although babies are most likely to run their head laterally when
rejecting food, they may also turn them up and back under certain
circumstances.  The one direction they do not turn them is down, because
this would not be efficient in escaping the breast if the baby's face
was pressed tight again it.  And it is no accident that it is the
downward movement of the adult human head that has developed as the
signal for 'yes'."

A very interesting book with beautiful pictures, and it very softly
sells breastfeeding as it explains what and why babies naturally do,
need and want. 1995 book so may not be available any longer.
Janice Reynolds

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