Pardee and others,
You're observation regarding your extended breastfeeding is soo accurate and
challenging!!!  I've had the same experience when I tell about nursing my
sons 2 1/2 yrs.  I recently spoke to a young mother who was in our hospital
for hyperemesis.  She was from Ceylon.  It was wonderful talking to her she
spoke at length about the breastfeeding practices in her native country where
extended breastfeeding is the norm.  She said everyone nurses, everywhere, no
bottles to be seen.  She remembers nursing occasionally as old as 8!
Where is our anthropologist?  Culture is such a deep entrenched process.. any
thoughts on how to introduce this concept to those who have never even
imagined such a thing?