If I could just throw in one more comment on this topic - I think that
weaning can be child-led or mother-led, and that mother leading the weaning
isn't necessarily bad. It's a two-way relationship, after all. But I do
think that many mothers are nudging their children towards weaning for
various reasons without really being aware of it. If, for example, they are
not available to nurse for comfort or naps or to soothe hurts for various
periods of time, the child learns to comfort himself or put himself to sleep
in another way. Then he may use that method at night to go to sleep, for
example, even though mother (and breasts) are available - and taken another
step towards weaning.

I'm not saying that this is bad, just that I think people aren't always
aware of how babies or toddlers can be moved in the direction of weaning. I
have seen mothers who were surprised and disappointed when their toddlers
weaned, even though the toddler was using a pacifier at daycare, sleeping
alone with the pacifier, frequently "put off" by the mother when she was
busy or offered other food/drinks instead of nursing, etc.

Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario

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