> My inclination is to say they have more -- but that may just be my own
> experience within my own family (I have 3) and with my local circle of
> friends and neighbors.  And if I was pressed to explain why that might be
> the case, I guess I would say it is because families where the mothers
> breastfeed are more likely to *enjoy* children and to see them as valuable
> in their own right, and a joy to have around.  Nothing like vast sweeping
> generalizations and stereotypes!
>
> Kathy Dettwyler
>

I think I would agree with that Kathy, especially the *enjoying* part, as
I have 5 and enjoy them very much :-)), both as a team as well as
individuals.
In my social surroundings I do see a co-incidence with breastfeeding and
family size of 3 and up, but only when combined with a more natural way of
breastfeeding and some degree of attachment parenting. I do also see
families where the children get breastmilk out of the breast, but in a
bottlefeeding way and mostly this coincides with a more, as I would call it,
distanced way of parenting. So I don't think that breastfeeding perse is the
trigger, but it is the style of parenting that includes breastfeeding and
parental joy and thus a bigger family.

Gonneke van Veldhuizen

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html