Kathy
        I am addressing this through Lactnet as the current thread about the
WHO statement is extremely appropriate to my current efforts.
        I have been asked to review the chapter on breastfeeing in a
pregnancy outreach program handbook. The program does not have a postnatal
follow up component so breastfeeding has been largely ignored up to now.
        The majority of the short chapter is excellent BUT in the initial
overview they state " breastfeeding should continue for as much of the first
year of life as possible.  The World Health Organization now recommends that
breastfeeding be continued for up to two years.  Other food must however be
consumed to meet the nutritional needs of the older infant/child."  I am
particularily concerned as this program DOES see women during several
pregnancies.  Therefore they will be dealling with women nursing toddlers.
        In my hunting around for references, and in reviewing theirs it is
apparent they have taken the statement from the 1990 INNOCENTI Declaration.
It states:
"....There after, children should continue to be breastfed, while receiving
complementary food, for up to two years of age or beyond."  They have just
eliminated the 'or beyond'.  I do have the FACTS for LIFE booklet from
Unicef/WHO/UNESCO, which was published in 1989. It states "Breastfeeding
should continue well into the second year of a child's life and for longer
if possible."
        Kathy I will be quoting your research and chapter 2 of BIOCULTURAL
PERSPECTIVES.  I would greatly appreciate it if you (or anyone else) could
provide me with a recent WHO reference which echoes or repeats the FACTS
statement.  I feel strongly that the current statement in the Program
handbook reflects a fundamental lack of acceptance of toddler nursing and a
misunderstanding of the normality of preschoolers breastfeeding. Leaving it
unchallenged will just lead to women being harrassed unnecessarily.
        Further on in the chapter they also state "human milk supports rapid
infant brain development to eighteen months of age."  I suspect this means
workers will say to moms 'Oh breastmilk only provides benefits for the first
18 months'. I am also chasing down research to refute this statement,
emphasizing the support does not suddenly end at 18 months but is dose
related, ie: the longer the better.

Thanks in Advance,

Rhoda Taylor from the very very soggy, foggy west coast of Canada.
--"Without interest and passion nothing great has ever happened in history.
Hegel"
               Rhoda Taylor, B.A., IBCLC   Duncan, B.C., Canada--